American Decadence
by Kyeian
Summary: COMPLETE. Playing for keeps and messing up royally? Maybe. Testing limits that should be left alone? Usually.
1. To The Pain

**To The Pain**

Quatre could hear Duo singing in a low voice as he moved silently toward the kitchen. It was always fun to walk in on the American when he wasn't expecting it, so Quatre never missed an opportunity.

"Whatever Duo wants, Duo gets. And little man, little Duo wants you…"

Duo truly had a lovely singing voice–when he chose to use it for something other than sexual lyrics or violence.

"Make up your mind to have, no regrets. Recline yourself, resign yourself, you're through…I always get what I aim for, and your heart is soul what I came for…"

It was something of a relief for Quatre that Heero wasn't around. Duo had an almost unnatural fetish with the guy, and had he been in the area, Duo would no doubt be singing _to_ him. He didn't care about the death threats, he could defend himself; he didn't care about the evident disinterest–it was a small obstacle that would be easily surmounted. This comment had been quickly followed by a comment on mounting that Quatre would rather not have heard. The idea that Duo was bisexual still disturbed him, though he was probably Duo's closest friend.

"Whatever Duo wants, Duo gets. Take off your shirt, don't you know you can't win? You're no exception to the rule, I'm irresistible, you _fool_. Give in."

There was a heavy sigh.

Quatre stopped inches from the kitchen door, feeling the board he was standing on give under his weight. He knew that one move would make the thing creak, and he didn't want to let anyone know he was there until he fully understood the situation. That was one thing Heero had taught him.

"Whatever Duo wants, Duo gets," Duo repeated in a voice dripping with sexuality. "I always get what I aim for, and your bed…is what I came for…whatever Duo wants, Duo gets," he chuckled slightly.

"Can you stop, please?" Heero asked in his cold monotone, very obviously irritated. "I don't want to hurt you, but I _am_ willing to go that far to make my point."

Duo's laughter was something akin to delight.

Quatre leaned forward very carefully, grabbing the door-jamb to lean slightly into the kitchen.

Heero was sitting at the table, one elbow propping his head up as he fiddled with his eggs. It was obvious he hadn't eaten any yet. By the smell of it, Quatre had to assume Duo had just made them. Duo himself was hovering behind Heero. He had been leaning over Heero's exposed shoulder, but as he sang, he moved back some and then turned from the table to get some hot-sauce from a cupboard, turning with a flourish to offer it to the Japanese teen.

"Take off your pants, don't you know you can't win?" he purred into Heero's ear as Heero accepted, stopped from thanking the other by this gesture. "You're no exception to the rule, I'm irresistible you fool. Give in."

"Duo, really…" Heero started, more emotion this time–real emotion, not just cold anger.

"Give in," Duo muttered again, leaning down and breathing up Heero's neck.

Heero froze slightly, his muscles tensing.

"Give in."

Quatre saw Heero's response coming, even if Duo hadn't. The American was sent flying across the kitchen, where he slammed into the counter as Heero stood, turning to glare at him…and spotted Quatre.

The room fell extremely silent.

Quatre felt himself nearly blush as he stepped off the creaking board–a loud screeching sound came from the thing. He stepped into the kitchen, meeting Duo's eyes briefly.

He could see that Duo was embarrassed, and knew his friend enough to know that it was the rejection being witnessed that embarrassed him.

"Good morning," the Arabian offered, not sure what was expected now.

Duo sighed, turning back to the stove, remaining silent.

Heero was watching Quatre almost expectantly until their eyes met, then he gestured pointedly at the American's back. He and Quatre had discussed Duo's behavior several times, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't reason the actions away. Things like this, where Heero could make one of his points, showed badly on Quatre.

Quatre frowned at Heero, starting across the room. "Duo…" he started.

"Over-easy or scrambled?" Duo demanded before he could go on.

Stopped so abruptly, it took Quatre a moment to decide to move on. He didn't need to reply, because Duo'd already started cracking eggs into the pan. Duo knew what Quatre liked above all the others–even Heero.

Moving silently again, Quatre sat at the table next to Heero, sighing and tracing a ruffle in the stupid-frilly table-cloth. The only problem with Hilde living with them. Well, that and the fact that she and Duo nearly looked like twins since he'd cut his braid off.

Heero was glaring at Quatre in an almost pouty fashion. He'd known Quatre wouldn't be able to deter his adamant sexually-charged-pain-in-the-ass of a suitor, but he'd thought his friend would at least _attempt_ to reason with him.

The kitchen remained silent until Trowa waltzed into the room with headphones on and his music blasting.

"It _has_ to be a curse," Heero snapped, glaring at their roommate, who flashed him a grin before heading to the fridge.

"Scrambled, please, Duo," he said loudly as he dug out a bottle of water.

It took Quatre a moment to understand what Heero'd been referring to. The song–the song Duo had been singing.

"Sarah Vaughn, isn't it?" Heero asked tiredly, picking more at his food.

"Yes," Duo replied shortly.

The near-silence continued as Duo slammed a plate in front of Quatre.

"Thank you," Quatre offered meekly, turning and trying to meet his friend's eyes.

Duo, evidently, had no intentions of doing so.

"What is that song from, anyway?" Heero asked. There was something reconciling in his tone.

"A musical. Old," Duo replied, still short. "It's called 'Damn Yankees' or something."

"That's what Americans were called, isn't it?" Quatre asked, also attempting reconciliation.

They all knew that showing interest in something that only Duo could tell them would make him feel better.

"No," Duo snapped, still short. "Well, some."

He didn't offer anymore information, but Trowa changed the subject by singing loudly: "Recline yourself, resign yourself, you're through!" he laughed delightedly, pulling the headphones off and stopping the machine as he plopped down at the table on the other side of Heero. "I love that song," he informed everyone.

Seeing as everyone knew that, no one commented.

"You know all the lyrics, don't you, Duo?"

"And then some," Heero muttered darkly.

Duo, who'd barely reached the table, tossed the plate at Trowa, glared at Heero, then stormed from the room.

"What's with him?" Trowa asked blankly.

- -

Wufei frowned after Duo. "But I wanted eggs…" he started as the American slammed the door to his and Quatre's bedroom, locking it.

Unsure what was going on in the kitchen, Wufei made his way into the room warily. He didn't want to be caught in the middle of one of their fights if he could help it. It irritated him how hard it was to stay on the fence when they all lived together. He looked the kitchen over, noting that Quatre was almost pouting.

"What's the matter? You and Duo have a falling out?" he asked, smirking very slightly.

"Not hardly," he muttered darkly, standing from the chair and moving to the stove. "You want me to make you breakfast?"

"Please," Wufei replied easily, biting back his comment about the pair making up when he saw that Quatre really wasn't in the mood for games. Instead, he looked to the other two, focusing on Heero, who wasn't eating. "He really doesn't drug your food," he offered, moving around to sit in the final chair. "Just the hot-sauce."

This got him a glare from the Japanese teen.

Wufei frowned, focusing on Trowa–while being glared at by Heero was nothing new, something about the room spoke of more. "What's going on?"

Trowa shrugged, sliding his earbuds into his ears. "Your guess is as good as mine," he replied, gesturing vaguely to his right as he focused on the machine. "They were all acting odd when I got here."

Wufei looked to the others as the music started.

Heero stood and left the kitchen.

"Quatre?" Wufei pressed.

Quatre set a plate of eggs in front of him, meeting his eyes briefly before turning to leave as well.

"Hey! We don't want to clean up after you three!" Trowa called.

Quatre ignored him, testing his bedroom door before sighing and breaking the knob.

"God _damn_ it, Quatre! Do you always have to break the damn door?"

Quatre frowned at Duo, shutting the door as much as it would, crossing his arms. "The door was locked," he informed the other, crossing his arms.

"If you would have _said_!" Duo started, gesturing at the door and moving to his side, pulling the door open, blinking at it a moment before rocking back to give Quatre a slightly petulant look. "Well, you don't have to replace it this time."

"As if that was ever an issue," Quatre muttered.

"Well _honestly_!" Duo snapped, throwing his arms in the air as he turned to the other. "When have I ever denied you access…when we _weren't_ fighting?"

Quatre was taken aback by that.

"I just didn't want Mr. Do-good or pain-in-the-ass out there to come in," he gestured toward the main of the house as he said this, shaking his head and turning to his bed. "I want eggs indeed!"

"What?" Quatre asked blankly.

"That's what fuck-nut told me," he muttered in semi-disgust over his shoulder.

"Wufei?" Quatre asked, still blank.

"Yeah, Wufei," Duo replied, rolling his eyes as he went back to making his bed, tossing some clothing items into the hamper. "Honestly, Quatre, why don't we just move out? I know I can get us an apartment in town…"

"Us?" Quatre asked, even more lost now.

"Well, yeah," Duo muttered, straightening as he thought–Quatre however was hit in the stomach suddenly by something he didn't understand.

_Us_?

"It's not like I want to live with any of those fuckers," Duo added, gesturing to the main of the house again as he met Quatre's eyes. "And I don't want to live alone. You're my friend," he stopped at the thunk of the doorknob hitting the ground. He blinked at the blond uncertainly. Quatre had not only dropped the door-knob, but his expression had changed. He was avoiding Duo's eyes. "Quatre?" Duo asked, not understanding.

"What?" Quatre asked quickly, looking up to meet his eyes–suddenly wishing he weren't wearing only his pajama bottoms as Duo's eyes traveled down his stomach quickly before landing on his eyes, his expression confused.

Neither said anything for a moment, but Duo was suddenly very aware of the other. Quatre's innocent seeming eyes were asking for something and Duo couldn't tell what. He didn't understand what was happening, but a slow flush had colored Quatre's cheeks.

Quatre cleared his throat when he realized Duo wasn't going to say what he wanted him to say–not that he knew what that was–and looked away, not able to hold the other's eyes. "I'm gonna…" he cleared his throat again, turning to the door. "I'm going to clean up breakfast," he muttered, leaving quickly.

Duo didn't know what to say as the door shut again. He moved slowly to scoop up the door-handle, then studied the door once more. A slow smile and his own blush covered his face as he started into the hall, heading for the garage.

Heero heard Duo coming and stepped into the hall, meeting his eyes as he recoiled sharply, like the male's presence bothered him. "What's wrong?" Heero asked blankly, taking in the handle that Duo was holding. "You broke the door?"

"No," Duo replied, giving him a look. "Quatre did. I'm fixing it," he brushed passed Heero without so much as a pat on the ass.

Heero stared after him in shock.

Quatre didn't understand Heero at all. Two days ago, he'd been bitching about Duo's constant come-ons. Now he was all pouty and irritated with Quatre, as if it were Quatre's fault that he and Duo were doing shit that kept Duo away from the house. If anything, he'd have thought the Japanese teen would thank him.

Sunday had passed more quietly than Saturday–until Hilde returned. Duo'd went back to normal with her. They both poked and prodded at Heero nearly constantly throughout first period.

That seemed to please Heero.

Quatre rolled his eyes, crinkling up the sheet of paper he was holding…and threw it at Heero's head–hard.

He was utterly shocked as Heero turned to stare at him in utter astonishment–Duo started laughing.

"Mr. Maxwell!" Mrs. Fergus snapped, then looked to Heero. "Mr. Yuy, would you like me to move him?"

Heero turned to look at the teacher in even more shock.

"They're fine," Hilde replied calmly, flashing Quatre a grin. "They'll be quiet now," this was accompanied by a pointed look to Duo, who shut up and went back to his spiral.

The teacher hesitated a longer moment, not even looking at Quatre, then turned back to the white-board.

Hilde smiled widely at Quatre a moment before turning and scribbling in her own notebook with her fuzzy pen, the ball at the end bouncing quickly, passing it and the notebook to the blond when she'd finished writing.

Quatre was still slightly flustered as he accepted both, reading the note. '_You've been acting strangely. What happened Saturday? Why are you flirting with Duo?_'

Quatre knew he'd gone white.

Duo, who'd turned at the passing of the notebook, snatched the thing from Quatre before he could protest.

Hilde sighed in disgust, reaching over and snatching her pen from him.

Quatre didn't know what to say.

Duo glared across at Hilde, wrote quickly, and passed her the notebook, not even looking to Quatre.

Her giggle was shocked and shocking. The entire class turned to look at her as Duo grinned brightly at her, sitting back in his seat before winking at Quatre.

"Miss Shbleiker?" the teacher asked, confused.

Quatre knew he was blushing as he stood quickly and snatched at the notebook–which caused Duo to laugh delightedly and Heero to give him a confused look. Hilde, however, was too quick; she ripped the paper from the thing and passed Quatre the notebook, tucking the single sheet under her shirt and into her jeans.

"Mr. Winner!" Mrs. Fergus sounded amazed as she walked quickly up the isle and snatched the notebook from Quatre.

Quatre just had enough time to read '_Duo's my dream_', drawn in a bold and masculine looking hand, before the woman had it.

She blinked down at that, then up at Quatre, then down again before passing it back. "Please, Mr. Winner, do not interrupt the class any longer," she grinned slightly as she glanced side-long at Duo and turned away.

Heero was staring at Quatre and Hilde was fighting a giggle.

Quatre gave her a murderous look.

"What'd it say?" Duo asked curiously in Arabic.

Quatre felt himself blushing as he glanced to his friend and shook his head, looking away.

Hilde started giggling, taking the notebook from him.

- -

"They're insane," Wufei stated firmly, shutting his locker and meeting Relena's eyes. "Heero's been insanely jealous all week, Quatre is actually _flirting_ with Duo, and I heard that there was a note-passing incident on Monday. Not only that, but Duo's completely stopped chasing Heero. Do you have _any_ idea what it's like at my house right now?"

"I told you just to move in with me," Relena stated calmly. "You and Trowa both," she brushed her hair back in a very snob-like gesture.

"Yeah, and have Zechs breathing down my neck because he's decided that I want to fuck you."

"Don't you?" she asked curiously.

Wufei gave her a look. "I would if you started it, but I'm not interested otherwise."

She laughed, punching him in the arm. "You are such a _prick_!"

Trowa was eyeing Duo curiously as Duo started writing something in his spiral. They were in the library doing work for an essay. He himself was supposed to be taking notes, but he wanted to talk to Duo.

Duo stopped suddenly, looking up and holding his eyes directly. 'What?' he mouthed.

'What's going on?' Trowa replied, leaning in some.

'Nothing. What are you talking about?'

'You stopped fucking with Heero, and it now seems that there's credence in Wufei's insistence that you and Quatre are secret lovers.'

Duo snorted, drawing them attention–he covered it, however, by digging into his backpack for his lap-top.

'Don't play that shit with me,' Trowa mouthed, aware that Duo could still read his lips.

'We're not lovers, and why should I waste time on Heero when I know he's not interested?' this was accompanied with an actually curious look.

Trowa raised an eyebrow. 'I have it on good authority that he is interested. He's just not ready to fuck.'

Duo stared at him.

Trowa winked, looking back to the book he'd been staring at.

- -

"What's wrong?" Quatre asked, brushing Duo's bangs back to see his face better, curious. Duo'd been very reclusive since Quatre had joined him, and Trowa had basically run off. No one else was in the library.

Duo pulled back very slightly, catching Quatre's wrist and blinking as they met eyes, drawing Quatre's hand to his mouth and kissing his knuckles lightly, watching to see the response.

Quatre felt a flutter in the region of his groin or stomach–he wasn't sure which–and blinked.

Duo grinned, sitting up and standing slightly to lean across the table, brushing his lips lightly over Quatre's.

Quatre froze, catching his breath–then pressed his tongue against Duo's.

Duo pulled back slightly, studying his eyes, then grinned, winking and sitting again. "We need to talk," he declared normally. "At home."

Quatre's pulse was racing and he wasn't thinking clearly, his head was almost swimming. He swallowed and looked around before focusing on Duo again. "Let's go now."

- -

"Where the _hell_ are they?" Heero snapped, shifting his backpack as he looked past Hilde at the building.

"They went home halfway through seventh," Hilde muttered, raising an eyebrow. "You really should pay more attention. That's what Duo was telling me."

"They left?" Heero asked blankly. "Where did they go?"

"Home," she shrugged, then grinned. "Duo looked a little flushed.

She could have laughed out loud when Heero left her standing there, getting into his beat up piece of shit car and squealed from the parking lot.

"That would be Quatre's doing," Wufei informed her proudly, moving around the corner of the building with Relena.

"Oh would it?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Wufei replied. "It is. I was in the library and I saw them kiss. Quatre's the one that suggested…"

"They _kissed_!?" both girls chorused.

Wufei laughed delightedly.

- -

Duo and Quatre jumped, turning to the bedroom door as Heero slammed it open, glaring at them both. "What the _fuck_ are you doing!?" he snapped at Duo.

Duo stared at him, shocked. "I'm making out…with Quatre. I'd think that'd be obvious."

"And what about me?" Heero snapped, hands on hips.

"What _about_ you?" Duo replied, raising an eyebrow.

Quatre, however, sat up, making a shushing gesture at Duo as his head cleared again. "Though he could have phrased it nicer," he muttered, studying Heero, "he does have a point."

Hero glared at him, then looked to Duo. "What? Because I'm not some slut I'm not interested in a relationship?"

Duo raised an eyebrow. "I'll kill you now. Go away. Leave me the fuck alone…get out of here you fucking fag…tell, me, do these sound like sweet nothings to you?"

Heero flushed, looking away.

Duo stood slowly, studying Heero. "I don't always try to fuck you and you know it."

Heero was still flushing as he looked down.

"Actually, numerous times I simply tried to start a conversation, and what did you do? Told me to leave, told me to shut-up, ignored me…You know, I originally only wanted to be your friend, but a challenge is too fun. Especially when you win," he smirked slightly.

"Please, Duo," Quatre muttered, standing as well. He didn't want Duo to actually hurt Heero. Heero had enough emotional scars without that. "Heero…if you were interested in him, why didn't you just…"

"He only wanted to fuck…ever," Heero snapped, focusing completely on Quatre. "Everything he says pertains to sex. It's not like with you, he doesn't _always_ check out your ass when you walk by. He doesn't always shut-up when I give him a look…he doesn't keep his hands to himself. It kinda makes it hard to take him seriously, though I _saw_ how he was with _you_. I _knew_ he could act normally…but he only wanted to _fuck_ me…"

"I'm seventeen years old, Heero, what the hell do you _think_ is on my mind when I'm looking at a hot guy?"

"I'm not hot?" Quatre snapped.

Duo grinned, looking him over. "We were friends, it's a respect thing."

Heero bristled.

Duo sighed, focusing on Heero. "The point is, Heero, that you never showed me any kind of interest…"

"And he did?" Heero demanded, gesturing at Quatre.

Quatre blushed.

Duo didn't look at him. "To an extent. At least he was my friend."

"Was?" Quatre asked, upset.

Duo smiled slightly at him. "I think we're more than friends, Quatre."

Heero stormed from the room.

- -

The house was silent as Quatre moved quietly into Heero's room, sitting next to his friend on the bed, though Heero ignored him. He wasn't sure what to say, startled to see a bottle of alcohol–clear something–next to the bed. "Heero?" he asked finally.

Heero, who was basically curled into a ball, continued to ignore him.

Quatre sighed. "You know…with how much trash talk you were doing…I didn't have any idea how you felt."

"I'm seventeen years old getting hit on by a bisexual guy in front of _every_one in school. I don't fit in as it is…and you expect me to _admit_ that I'm attracted to him?"

"To your friends, yes," Quatre replied.

"You never said anything."

"I didn't realize anything until last Saturday."

"Took you a whole week to get into his bed…yeah, I believe you."

"Actually," Quatre muttered, getting annoyed, "we were in _my_ bed. I thought you paid more attention than that."

Heero turned to glower at him.

"You can try to take him from me now," Quatre added, "and though it will cause me pain, I won't stop you if you succeed," he started for the door. "_If_."

Heero sat up, picking up the bottle of liquor. "Hey, Quatre?"

Quatre turned to look at him curiously.

Heero toasted him with the bottle. "To the pain."

- -

E/N: As of May 07, I reread through all of this and edited it some. Uh, aside from the alterations, the song Duo is singing is "Whatever Lola Wants" by Sarah Vaughn. Standard disclaimers apply.


	2. Somebody Save Me

**Somebody Save Me**

Relena ignored her friends as they threw things at one another. She was in the center of the dais making a speech. It was a required speech, which they all had to do. Both Hilde and Wufei had done theirs early and quickly, scoring high marks, Relena, however, had decided to plot and plan hers out. Every gesture she made had been memorized weeks before.

Other than her two obnoxious friends, the rest of the class was completely entranced. She'd always found that a perk, and knew that her friends would be well pleased since they were not going to get in trouble for their fooling.

"When society claims one way, but a section there-in defies, the friction will build," Relena went on happily, smiling since Hilde had smacked Wufei in the middle of the forehead. "This splintering of society causes many issues, which carry even to small children…"

Hilde was giggling quietly as Wufei swore near silently. The German girl had risen from her seat and was hovering over Wufei.

Relena coughed, trying to hide her giggle, taking a quick sip of her water bottle. "Excuse me…" she muttered to the teacher, taking another breath and turning back to the class…

Wufei shoved Hilde, who stumbled backwards over her chair and started laughing helplessly as Wufei jumped up, also laughing, apologizing and asking if she were all right.

Relena knew her face was flushing as she raised her voice, trying to ignore them, but Hilde's hand slipped from Wufei's grip and she fell with a hard thud yet again, starting to laugh even harder as Wufei collapsed forward slightly with laughter.

Unfortunately, Relena's voice wasn't enough to distract the people closest to the pair, who poked neighbors and turned to look.

The teacher was a moment behind.

She stood, looking mortally offended. "Mr. Chang! Miss Shbleiker!" she said loudly, which stopped Relena's speech and took the entire class' attention.

Wufei finally managed to pull Hilde up, laughing weakly without looking at the woman. "Yes, Mrs. Prior?" he asked, dropping back in his seat and wiping a tear from his eyes as he flashed a look at Hilde.

"What were you doing?" she demanded.

It was Hilde's turn to start giggling again and the woman focused on her. "Making out," she replied easily, her face splitting into a huge grin.

She knew the teacher had no clue what they'd been doing.

Wufei straightened, staring at her in disbelief.

Relena started laughing.

- -

"So I told her we were making out, and now we both have detention. Relena barely got out of it," Hilde was whispering to Duo later that day, having traded places briefly with Quatre to talk to Duo. Heero was obviously paying attention to the conversation, but Quatre knew that Duo would tell him at lunch. Not to mention he was taking notes. If he didn't pay attention and tell Duo later, then Duo would fail the test.

Duo laughed quietly, eyeing the teacher a moment before meeting Hilde's eyes directly. "I should get you another detention," he muttered, his eyes sparkling.

"Don't you dare!" she hissed, starting to back off.

Duo, however, had kissed her.

This caught Quatre's attention instantly and he stared at them in horror. "What the _fuck_ are you _doing_!?" he snarled in outrage, rising to his feet.

"_Mr. Winner_!" the teacher turned in aghast horror, then spotted Hilde, who'd prolonged her kiss with Duo when he'd have stopped.

Duo was staring at Quatre in a sort of regret, like he hadn't thought about what he was doing.

"Mr. Maxwell! Miss Shbleiker!" she looked utterly at a loss.

Heero started laughing.

- -

Duo avoided Quatre's eyes as the Arabian continued to glare at him, feeling miserable. Two weeks before, he'd have been able to do what he'd done with no more than a reprimand from his friend, but the situation had changed so drastically since then that he knew his life would be hell until Quatre forgave him.

And _Heero_!

The Japanese teen had seemed all _too_ amused at the look Quatre had given him.

"Listen, Quatre…" Duo started, looking up to meet those angry blue eyes, "that didn't mean anything… Just…Hilde was saying…"

"Saying what?" Quatre snapped sharply. "I thought you and I…that we were…"

"We _are_!" Duo pleaded, grabbing his forearm so he stopped as the other students in the hall moved to avoid them. "I just didn't think about what I was doing…I'm sorry. I know it's not right…"

"So next time it'll be another oversight?"

"There won't _be_ a next time…Quatre…"

"You're right," Quatre snapped, freeing his arm of the other's grip and storming off down the hall.

Duo stared after him in consternation, spotting Trowa and moving to one wall as irritation worked its way through his system–irritation and a plan.

He yanked Trowa from the flowing crowd and pinned him to the wall.

"Duo, hi," Trowa muttered, obviously taken aback, then confused when Duo pinned him. "Um…"

"I'll give you twenty bucks if…"

"I'm not a whore," Trowa cut him off, then grinned. One thing he knew he could always count on was Duo's sense of humor.

"I'm _so_ not in a good mood right now," Duo snapped, leaning forward so he and the other were nearly touching. "You do _not_ want to fuck with me."

Trowa frowned, feeling distinctly uncomfortable.

"I'll give you twenty bucks if you get Heero in detention."

Trowa raised an eyebrow.

"Quick and easy cash, Trowa," he added, then moved away from him, starting away after Quatre.

Trowa stared after him, not pulling away from the wall as he disappeared into the crowd.

"Well, then," he muttered, smirking slightly, "I think I want some money."

He started in the opposite direction.

- -

"Where's my twenty?" Trowa demanded of Duo as dinner came to a close.

"In my wallet, in my room," Duo replied, looking up at him, hoping he wouldn't say more.

"What twenty?" Heero demanded bitterly.

Trowa smirked at Heero, then glanced at Duo. "You think I'd get us both landed in detention for nothing?"

Heero drew himself up.

"What?" Quatre demanded, turning to Duo as Hilde and Wufei did the same.

Duo laughed, knowing he was caught so there was no use denying anything. He met Quatre's eyes directly. "He thinks it's funny that we're having problems," he explained. "It irritated me."

Quatre sighed, looking away.

Heero was staring at Duo. "You are such a bastard," he muttered, feeling very wounded.

Duo turned to look at him, his eyes hard like agates. "And just think," he muttered, backing away from the table, "you're jealous."

- -

Relena watched the silent group of people move around their house. She led the way out the front door when Hilde reached her and frowned as they stood on the porch, waiting for Wufei.

"Duo gave Trowa twenty dollars to land Heero in detention because he'd laughed when Quatre got pissed," Hilde muttered quickly under her breath. "Wufei and I are sort of keeping our heads down as the shit flies."

"I don't imagine Quatre's too happy with you, either," Relena muttered, studying her friend.

"He's been ignoring me, and I want to keep it that way."

Relena nodded. "How's Wufei fairing?"

"Perfectly fine. He's had nothing to do with anything else."

Relena grinned.

"We _all_ have detention…and I have two."

Relena smirked at her. "I didn't do anything," she gloated, turning and heading toward her brother's car. Zechs was sitting in it, staring at the ceiling with his music pounding. He looked bored.

"I should put your ass in detention," Hilde muttered as she slid into the front seat.

"Morning, Hilde," Zechs muttered, turning to face her better and raising an eyebrow. "I know you're not going to get my sister in trouble," his tone was slightly reprimanding as he leaned toward her slightly, one elbow over the back of the seat, his blue eyes on hers.

Hilde felt a rush of mingled embarrassment and thrill, looking away from his eyes as she felt herself blush.

"That's what I thought," he muttered, sounding amused and turning to look at his sister as she slid across the back seat. "Where's Wufei?"

"I don't know," she replied.

"Zechs," Hilde muttered after a moment, trying not to meet his eyes, "we both have detention tonight."

Zechs blinked at her a moment, then nodded. "I'll swing back by and pick you up, then."

"Thank you," she muttered, looking away again.

"What's the matter, Hilde?" Relena asked in a knowing tone.

"Nothing," Hilde snapped back, glaring at her.

Relena laughed.

"Here he comes," Zechs muttered, focused on the front of the house as Wufei moved out the door and pulled it shut, looking around before running down the path.

He slid into the car, grinning at Zechs. "Sorry about that."

"It's no problem," Zechs replied, backing out. "I know what it's like to be your age."

"You're…what…four years older than us?" Relena asked in a honeyed tone.

"Yes," Zechs replied, glancing at Hilde again and frowning since she'd been looking at him and had looked away.

"We managed detention," Wufei muttered to Zechs, rolling his eyes. "Can you come back by and pick us up?"

"No problem," Zechs muttered, blinking at Hilde since she'd moved her knee away from the gear-shaft when his hand landed on it.

Relena started laughing.

- -

The day had passed quickly without incident. Quatre was very near to forgiving Duo, and Heero was getting over his irritation at Trowa, who kept flashing his twenty at random points during the day before laughing.

The group of them entered together, to the chagrin of Mrs. Fergus, who thought she had enough without Wufei and Trowa added to the lot.

Quatre took the back seat, and Duo sat in front of him. Hilde sat in front of Duo, so Wufei sat in front of her. Trowa took the back seat of the next row, even with Quatre, and Heero sat in front of him, ignoring the rest.

"There will be no note passing," Mrs. Fergus informed them as more people filed in, knowing the group was bad at that.

"Right," Wufei muttered, smirking at Hilde.

"I'm serious, Mr. Chang," she muttered, frowning at him. "You are here…"

"Because we were laughing as we listened to Miss Darlian's speech," he rolled his eyes. "She's been practicing it on us since November," he made a few of the gestures she'd made with her speech and Hilde said the coinciding words.

Both laughed.

"I am not amused," the teacher muttered.

Hilde rolled her eyes, turning to Duo. "But you are, aren't you?"

"I think it'd've been funnier if I'd seen the entire speech to begin with."

Hilde giggled.

The remaining ten minutes passed with them all chatting happily together, falling briefly silent when she called the entire room to order, but picking up moments later.

"Did you guys watch Labyrinth last night?" a nearby student asked quietly.

Everyone fell silent, turning to look at him.

He flushed slightly as even the teacher turned to look.

Duo chuckled. "Sarah, beware, I have been generous up until now, but I can be cruel."

The group sniggered. Duo's imitation British accent had been far from impressive.

"Generous?" Hilde muttered after a second. "What have you done that's generous?"

"Everything," Duo snapped happily, turning to meet her eyes before grinning. "Everything you wanted, I have done. You asked that the child be…"

"Mr. Maxwell, Miss Shbleiker, that's more than enough."

"You can't say it's not amusing, though," Quatre spoke up, grinning at the woman.

She glared at Quatre.

"I love that movie," Hilde said dreamily, her tone quiet.

"Miss Shbleiker…" Mrs. Fergus started, turning to her.

Duo grinned. "You think I know the words because I like David Bowie?"

She laughed. "I thought you enjoyed Jennifer Connolly's…"

"You realize, of course, that she was only fourteen when she did that, don't you?"

Hilde gave him a look. "She played sixteen like an angel."

He snorted.

"You two," Mrs. Fergus snarled, "one more word from _either_ of you…"

They both fell silent, sighing.

"I still don't get what you like about that movie," Heero informed her, watching the teacher carefully.

Oddly enough, she ignored him.

Hilde watched the woman a moment, then shrugged, raising her voice very slightly. "Jareth was very in love with Sarah," she explained. "Everything that happened in that movie, he did to please her."

"He just wanted to get laid and you know it," Wufei replied, smirking at her.

"He was being possessive," Duo countered.

"He was playing with fire," Trowa amended all of them.

They all looked at him.

Trowa grinned. "We all know that pissing a woman off leads to trouble."

Hilde gave him a venomous look, but the others nodded their agreement.

Their conversation did end after another threat of more detentions, and they started doing homework, except for Duo and Quatre, who were having a very intense discussion through notes.

'_I was playing around. I didn't know it would offend you,_' Duo protested. '_I thought you'd laugh because I got her another detention._'

'_You __**kissed**__ her,_' Quatre countered, frowning at him.

Hilde and Wufei were playing a game of squares, and Trowa and Heero were doing homework.

Duo sighed, turning to sit correctly in his seat and crossing his arms, bending his bed back so he could barely see the top of Quatre's head.

Quatre sighed in disgust, shoving the note into his backpack and starting to dig out homework.

"I can't justify what happened," Duo muttered quietly, closing his eyes. "But I _can_ promise it won't happen again."

"Mr. Maxwell, please," Mrs. Fergus muttered in a stressed tone, then, "Mr. Winner, I will move him if you'd like."

Quatre, annoyed as he was, was sorely tempted.

"Why is it always me that you move?" Duo demanded, his tone viscous as he jumped to his feet to glare at her.

She looked completely taken aback.

"I admit that I fucked with Heero a lot, but when he starts bother me, you _never_ ask if I want him moved."

She stared at him, obviously uncertain.

"Duo," Hilde muttered, standing and placing a hand on his shoulders, waiting until he met her eyes. "Sit down, you know how she is."

He snorted. "So because I'm openly bisexual, and don't care what my peers think, I'm the one that needs moved? Everyone else doesn't want to be near me?"

Hilde took a breath.

Duo met the teacher's eyes again. "I'll have you know that Quatre is my boyfriend," he was half afraid that Quatre would speak up and say he wasn't, or get mad for this, but Quatre didn't seem to be concerned. Feeling slightly reckless, Duo took another breath.

"Don't go there," Hilde muttered quietly, glancing at Heero, who'd hunched back in his seat and looked pouty. "You really don't want to go there."

Duo heaved a breath.

"Come on, Duo, sit down," Quatre added, placing his hand on Duo's shoulder.

Duo turned to him, startled at how calm his tone was, blinking when his eyes no longer seemed angry.

"You're…not...mad?" Duo asked Quatre in confusion.

Quatre blushed very slightly, leaning forward and pecking Duo on the cheek. "Not anymore."

Hilde giggled, poking Duo in the stomach. "You've got it, but I don't know _how_. Sit down before you get yourself another detention."

"But you could use the company," he protested.

She giggled. "I'll have it, Relena got caught making out with Tarr at lunch."

Duo chuckled evilly.

"Sit down," Quatre whispered, his eyes were on Mrs. Fergus.

Duo sank quickly into his seat, turning to meet Quatre's eyes.

Quatre smiled slyly at him.

"How much longer is there?" Heero demanded harshly, staring hard straight ahead.

"Another half hour, Mr. Yuy," she replied, moving back to her desk.

He groaned, dropping his head back to stare at the ceiling. "Somebody save me," he muttered, glancing quickly at Duo and Quatre who were staring at each other. "Somebody take me _away_ from this awful place…"

Hilde giggled. "Sorry, Heero, Jareth won't come running. You have to say the right words."

Heero glared at her.

Hilde grinned at him. "Repeat after me," she muttered. "I wish the goblins would come and take you away…right now."

He glared at her.

She started giggling as Wufei coughed.

"You really are something else, Shbleiker," Trowa muttered, watching her.

She flicked her hair and batted her eyes at him.

He chuckled. "I didn't say it was anything good."

"_Trowa!_"


	3. An Interlude

**An Interlude**

"Uh, Duo, what is Hilde doing out there with Zechs?"

Duo moved up behind Quatre, peaking through the curtain with him–all he could really see was the back of Hilde's head and some hands. He shut the curtain so Quatre couldn't look out, sniggering. "She's in-fucking-sane," he muttered, meeting Quatre's eyes a moment. "Not to mention _him_."

"Please tell me I wasn't right in my assumption," Quatre muttered.

Duo made a face. "I suggest we forget we saw that, and have no clue how long they were parked out front."

Quatre groaned, moving back to the couch and plopping down to stare at his homework again. Duo moved into the kitchen, pouring Quatre and himself drinks. "Thank you," Quatre muttered when he set the glass down in front of him.

Hilde appeared a moment later, looking flushed as the car engine started out front–and staring at Duo and Quatre.

"What?" Duo asked curiously, blinking innocently at her.

"You've been here…the entire time?" she demanded, staring at them even more.

"What entire time?" Quatre returned, glancing at Duo. "Did you need a ride?"

"No, I didn't…I was…" she moved toward them, gesturing behind herself as she talked without thinking. "With Zechs…"

"Yeah, you went with he, Relena, and Lucratzia to the movies," Duo spoke up before she could say anything more, meeting eyes with Quatre. "Wufei, Heero, and Trowa had a lecture over at the college, and Quatre and I…" he nodded encouragingly at her.

"Were supposed to go with them," she muttered, biting her lip as she looked between the pair.

"We aren't going to tell Lucratzia," Quatre informed her finally, rolling his eyes since she didn't seem to get it.

"But you were _supposed_ to go!" she protested.

"No, Quatre and I never had to go," Duo replied, shrugging. "Quatre suggested that he and I go, but I have no interest what-so-ever, and he had a shit load of homework."

She seemed to connect something in her mind. "You're not telling?" she demanded.

Duo grinned at her, setting his cup down with a thud and sloshing a bit of water over the edge–he'd been about to take a drink. "I don't care if you're _sleeping_ with Zechs, Hilde. You're my friend, and Lucratzia isn't."

"And…you?" she asked Quatre, her mind flashing back to how pissed he'd gotten at Duo for kissing her, and how much he'd ignored her after it had happened.

Quatre pursed his lips, chewing on the lower one a moment and shrugging. "I stand by Duo's decision," he muttered finally.

"You're a doll!" she cooed at him, rushing forward to throw her arms around his neck. "Lucratzia would _kill_ me…"

"Hey! He's standing by _my_ decision!" Duo interjected, grinning slightly.

Hilde laughed, giving him a look. "I'll give you _your_ reward later," she announced, starting for the kitchen.

Quatre thought about that for a third of a second, pulling his eyes away from the table slower than his body was moving. "I _really_ don't like the sound of that, Hilde."

Hilde started laughing.

- -

"Where the hell did you get cinnamon rolls?" Heero demanded of Duo, who was munching happily over the sink.

Duo turned to look at him, his eyes sparkling. "If there were any left, I'd love to share them with you, Heero, but unfortunately…" he shrugged, cramming the last bite into his mouth.

The house smelled deliciously like the pastry, which annoyed Trowa, Wufei, and Heero, because there had been nothing to snack on during their little lecture, and they hadn't eaten before they left.

Wufei frowned, moving further into the kitchen and digging into the fridge as Duo finished munching down his mouthful, meeting eyes with Heero and smirking. Swallowing obviously and winking as he passed back into the living room.

Heero watched after him with a slight frown.

"All right, Perfect Soldier," Trowa muttered, stepping next to him, "make us the perfect dinner?"

Heero turned to meet Trowa's eyes and raised an eyebrow before moving to the kitchen phone and hitting the auto-dial.

"Which perfect dinner is it tonight?" Wufei asked, moving away from the fridge and digging out his wallet.

"The one of the pizza persuasion," Heero replied, stepping out the door and looking to Duo's room. "Duo, are you eating with us or not?" he called.

Duo popped his head out.

"Good evening, Parry's Pizza on Wheels, how can we help you?"

"Just a second," Heero replied, giving Duo a pointed look.

"Yeah," Duo replied. "We will."

Heero nodded, raising the phone to his mouth again. "Sorry about that."

"No problem, sir, ready when you are."

"One king supreme, one king pepperoni, and one king…"

"Cheese!" Hilde's voice came from somewhere down the hall.

"Hawaiian!" Quatre countered at the same moment.

"Half Hawaiian, half cheese," Heero finished easily. "A cube of…"

- -

"You need to flesh out the bit about Lucifer falling," Wufei muttered, passing Quatre back the sheet of paper as he munched down some pizza. "That's the only part that needs work…"

"The way you say that reminds me of the Bible," Quatre muttered with a slightly flushed face.

Wufei ruffled his hair before grabbing his soda. "You're the one who picked the subject."

"Stop…" Quatre snapped, moving away.

Wufei started laughing.

"Here, do mine now," Trowa muttered, passing Wufei his stack of paper before turning back to his drink.

Wufei took the papers and started reading through it, skimming with one finger.

_Average week before summer_… Heero thought to himself as Wufei bobbed to the music that had been blaring for the past few hours, he was sitting on the arm of the recliner with his feet in it. He turned to Trowa, indicating something as they started talking quietly.

Heero looked back to his own work, then glanced sidelong at Duo, who was sitting on the end of the couch nearer him. Hilde was sitting between the braided teen and Quatre, and the pair were looking over a huge book.

Heero cleared his throat, licking his lips–he'd always found it hard to join in the socializing that seemed to happen during the homework time, and though he could now focus through the music, he hadn't been able to when he'd first moved in.

"Duo?" Heero started quietly, hoping not to draw himself attention.

He wasn't actually surprised when it didn't work.

Everyone had turned to him.

"Can you…" he started, offering his stack of paper as he met eyes with Wufei a moment.

Duo looked extremely taken aback–seeing as Heero never asked for help, so he took the paper wordlessly, sliding down to sit on the couch. Hilde made some kind of comment about a big ass when he shoved her out of his way, but went back to studying.

Heero watched Duo's expression as his eyes flew down the lines Heero had written. Seeing as he'd never done this, he had no idea what Duo might say to him. He knew Wufei would always just state the problems he'd found, but Duo had a tendency to discuss the problems. Heero knew this had helped Trowa once or twice, and who knew how many times he and Quatre had done such things…

"So how was the movie?" Wufei asked Hilde suddenly, looking up to her.

Hilde shrugged. "It was all right."

Quatre busied himself quickly with erasing something.

"Should we all go see it?" Wufei pressed. "Maybe just take Zechs along?" his face broke into a smirk.

Quatre was writing even faster, but Hilde had blushed.

"You're such a pain in the ass," Duo informed the Chinese teen. "Honestly, the guy is hot; you _have_ to know that."

Wufei frowned at Duo, losing the teasing air as Duo passed the papers back to Heero. "Actually, I don't. He's, you know…male."

"So are you, and you're hot," Duo replied, raising an eyebrow.

That flustered Wufei into silence.

"All right, Heero," Duo muttered, turning back to him and starting to gesture at something with the hand the pizza was in–and managed to smack him in the nose.

Hilde broke into giggles as Quatre looked up and blinked, Wufei and Trowa both had just stopped.

Heero didn't know what to do…

Duo was starting to snigger, moving the pizza away. "…you'll wanna…wipe…your nose off," he muttered, blushing himself, seeing as he'd been on something of a high horse and managed to make an ass of himself.

Heero gave Duo a look, leaning over and snatching up a napkin, wiping his nose.

"Sorry," Duo muttered, cracking a grin.

Heero couldn't help it, he grinned back.

- -

Duo had been waiting for Heero for five minutes when he dug his coin out. It was a small coin, old. He was semi-convinced that it was Chinese, but he'd never looked into it. The markings on the side had been rubbed off, so only the silhouette of some anal looking guy had remained. Small as it was, it was perfect for flipping.

The lighting in the hall the way it was, the thing shone brightly, reflecting small dots of light on several bits of the walls–up and down…up and down…

"What are you doing?" Heero was utterly shocked to see Duo standing there.

Duo, of course, was so surprised that he missed the coin on its way down…and it started rolling away.

"Shit!" he muttered, diving after it as it rolled near the small hole in the wall–the only place in the entire damn school that needed the molding replaced…

Heero, picking up that the coin meant something to Duo, dived for it as well–nearly at the same time, even.

They collided heavily, sliding slightly on the smooth floors, but Heero caught the thing before it could go under.

Duo snorted. "Thanks," he muttered, sitting up and brushing his hair back as he looked at Heero.

"No problem," Heero replied, sitting up as well, moving the coin closer to his face to study it. "What is this?"

"A coin," Duo replied shortly, snatching it from the other's hand.

Heero gave him a shocked look.

"Everyone else left with Zechs," Duo muttered. "I'm going to need a ride."

Heero nodded, frowning. "Even Quatre?"

"Yeah, he wanted to get home and finish his paper."

"Oh…" Heero stared a moment longer at the floor.

"Why do I get the impression that I don't want to know?" Mr. Wilder asked as he shut the door to his classroom, looking from one teen to the other.

Duo grinned at him. "Because you don't," he muttered, appreciating the good looks of the guy.

The man scratched his lip, looking from Duo's eyes to Heero. "I hear you gave him a hand with his paper?" he asked, glancing back to Duo.

"Well…" Duo started, not sure if this was a good thing or not.

The man laughed, moving around the boys and starting for the faculty room, whistling.

"He's got a nice ass," Duo noted, tilting his head as he watched.

"And only you would notice," Heero replied, picking himself up off the floor to offer a hand to Duo.

"Just a minute…" Duo muttered, looking around Heero's legs–Heero moved over the extra step so Duo pulled back to look up at the guy with a frown before taking the offered hand. "Fine, then," he muttered, starting to brush his clothing off. "How'd you do?"

"The only one in the class who got the grade," he replied seriously, his monotone implying nothing as he started in the opposite direction of his teacher. "Quatre won't appreciate that you're checking out a teacher's ass."

"Oh, so you're going to _tell_ him?" Duo demanded, rolling his eyes.

Heero turned to look at him, wanting to comment that splitting them up would be in his benefit, or saying something flippant about friends and lies. He didn't have the gull, however, not when Duo'd been so genial to him.

"That's what I thought," Duo muttered, pinching Heero's ass and dodging out of arm's reach before Heero could recover the dignity to hit him–laughing, as they took off down the hall.

- -

"You're not nervous about that at all?" Hilde purred at Quatre, highly amused as she and Quatre watched Heero and Duo sparring in the back yard. "They've gotten rather friendly," she added.

Quatre shook his head, looking back to the book on his legs. He'd told Heero, after all, that if he could steal Duo away, he wouldn't argue it. He'd just have to get Duo's attention again later. "I don't know what you're talking about," Quatre muttered. "For once there's no tension in the house. Why do you have to try and throw doubt at me?" Quatre actually met her eyes.

Hilde blinked, looking away from him.

"I know Duo…loves me," Quatre muttered slowly, thinking about this. "Or something!" he amended quickly, jumping up and throwing his papers and books into a pile. "He's with me, and that's all that matters," he turned and disappeared into his bedroom.

Hilde blinked after him in shock a moment before focusing out the backdoor again as Heero started laughing. It wasn't the laugh he'd had when Quatre and Duo were fighting, either; it was a slightly naughty, slightly apologetic laugh.

"Okay…that hurt…" Duo muttered, sounding in pain.

Hilde moved to the backdoor, blinking out at Duo, who was sitting spread-legged in the grass. His head was back slightly and he was rubbing his inner thigh, his expression pained.

"What did you do?" Hilde demanded, moving down the stairs as Duo opened his eyes a moment–they looked slightly teary.

"I said I was sorry!" Heero almost shouted at her, disappearing into the kitchen.

"Did you _have_ to use that tone?" Duo snapped at her, frowning as he opened his eyes again. "Jesus, the guy has issues enough as it is…"

Hilde stared at him, disbelieving.

"What's going on?" Quatre asked, stepping onto the back-porch as Heero passed Duo a towel.

"Thanks," Duo muttered to Heero, who dropped beside him with a hurt expression. "He got me in the leg," Duo explained, looking to Quatre.

"The thigh, you mean?"

"It would have been the balls if I hadn't realized what I was doing," Heero muttered disconsolately, pouting more as he stared at the grass.

"And no one appreciates that more than me," Duo informed him, leaning over and smacking his knee lightly.

Heero blinked at Duo.

Quatre stared at Heero's expression as Duo grinned at the guy, shaking his head and laying back. "Hold the ice on, huh?" Duo asked.

Heero'd started to do as asked before he realized where that would place his hand.

Duo started laughing.

"Duo," Quatre muttered in slight reprimand, moving down the stairs to sit between his boyfriend's legs, obliging and holding the icepack on.

"I like this view…" Duo muttered, tilting his head up to look at Quatre.

Quatre nearly punched him in the balls before he realized what _he_ was doing.

Hilde went back inside, uncertain of how she was feeling about all that.

Quatre readjusted his hand on the towel before letting his eyes drift to Heero again. Duo'd always been forgiving with things that drove everyone else insane. When Heero had complained about the music being too loud, Duo'd taken care to keep it at a level that didn't bother the Japanese teen. When Heero had been too nervous to go set up an appointment with the class councilor, Duo'd set it up so Wufei and Heero went in together. Even in the midst of Duo's attempted courting, Duo had been sincere in Heero's wants and needs. He'd done what he could and forgiven everything–every harsh word said to him.

Well, almost.

Quatre resituated his weight when Duo's knee rested against his back. "I could sleep like this," Duo muttered.

"And you _would_ sleep like this, but I won't let you," Quatre replied.

"You're no fun, Q, you know that?"

"No, I just don't want to get sun-burnt," Quatre replied, "and neither of you two geniuses have put sunscreen on either, I'm sure."

"Who are you to lecture us if you're out here the same?" Heero muttered, studying Quatre carefully.

"I hadn't _planned_ to be out here," Quatre replied.

Duo sighed. "The word is about…there's something evolving…" he sang slowly. "Whatever may come, the world keeps _revolving_…" his rich tenor sounded perfect as he stretched the word. "They say the next big thing is here, that the revolution's near…but to me it seems quite clear that it's all just a little bit of history repeating…"

"Where do you come _up_ with this stuff?" Heero asked, staring in amazement.

Duo, who'd at some point laid his arm over his eyes, moved it to look at Heero. "It's oldies music. They play it in the commons."

"Since we all know I spend time in the commons…" Heero muttered, looking away.

Quatre snorted, letting his weight rest slowly against Duo's leg. "He plays it every night," Quatre snorted. "I swear, half the time he breaks a kiss to sing with it…"

Duo started to snigger, moving his knee to hush Quatre–who'd blushed.

Heero lost whatever good humor he'd been in, frowning slightly as he stood before glancing at Duo–who wasn't paying attention, and _glaring_ at Quatre, turning to disappear into the house.

"You're the only one who hears it, Quatre," Duo muttered after a moment, "because I keep it too low for anyone outside the room to hear."

Quatre smiled at Duo and shrugged, looking up into the sky. "I know."

"What'd he say?" Wufei demanded quietly, having joined Hilde on the front porch.

"Who? Quatre or Zechs?"

"Both," Wufei replied, moving to sit even closer to her, leaning forward so she'd meet his eyes.

Hilde sniggered, grinning at him. "Zechs didn't say much of anything, Lucratzia never showed."

Wufei's chuckle was evil. "Oh yeah, I _was_ supposed to tell her to meet you, wasn't I?" he snapped his fingers. "Damn, I forgot. We were wrapped up in studying."

"Studying _what_?" Hilde demanded, smirking at him.

He gave her a level look, then looked back to the road. "What did Quatre say?"

"He demanded why I was trying to cast doubt in his mind," she replied. "Started to say that he knew Duo loved him, but I bet you Duo hasn't said it yet and he realized that."

"They looked rather comfortable out back," Wufei countered, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb.

"Heero and Duo were sparring."

"I'm aware."

"Where is Trowa?"

"I have no idea," Wufei replied, staring off down the road. "What're the chances of Zechs coming and taking us swimming or something?"

"Low. Lucratzia's hanging off him again," her tone sounded vaguely disgusted.

"Hm."

- -

Duo sighed, starting to flip his coin again. There was one day before summer vacation started, one more week before he and Quatre headed to Quatre's property in Italy. From there, they would join the others in Spain, where Cathy and Trowa would be.

He was looking forward to two weeks alone with Quatre.

Of course, he had his reservations. Quatre would have to attend meetings to catch up on what his company was doing without him, and then there were the twenty million some-odd siblings to add to this…

But Italy? He could deal with all of that to be with Quatre in Italy.

Hilde was heading with Relena to the colonies, and Wufei was going to a retraining course with Heero. Trowa was going to join the circus. All of them were spending the first week of summer together before heading out, and all of them were meeting in Spain. They'd spend a week in Spain before heading over to the Caribbean for two weeks on Quatre. Then they were all going "home" which meant to the colonies they'd originated from. They'd spend that week doing whatever they were told to do before taking a week to go on a colony-hopping tour with Relena. It left them just enough time to relax for one week before worrying about senior year of high school.

Of course, what'd really happen would be two weeks of relaxation and fucking around before one week of insane school-shopping.

Up…down…up…down.

Duo was staring at nothing, thinking about the summer before him.

"What are you doing this summer, then?"

Duo turned to look at his chemistry partner, tucking the coin away and shrugging. "Not much. You?"

The guy shrugged. "Hanging out. God what I wouldn't give to have _something_ to do…"

Duo chuckled. "So where are you going? What are you going to be doing?"

The guy frowned at him. "I just said I wasn't doing anything."

Duo blinked a moment, digesting this, then grinned. "Okay, then my 'not much' was a lie."

"So what are you doing?" the guy was studying him in slight confusion.

"Heading to Italy in a week, meeting up with my friends in Spain. Then we'll head to the Caribbean two weeks later before I go back to L-TWO for damn speeches," he sighed.

"Oh yeah…you were…" the guy had been staring at him, but now blinked, focusing. "Italy? Spain? And you're saying…the _Caribbean_!"

Duo laughed, choking slightly to stifle the sound. "Then I'm going to the colonies…colony hopping, and coming back."

"So you get…what, a week of nothing?" the guy was staring at him.

Duo chuckled. "Three weeks here, two weeks with Quatre, one week in Spain, then two more in the Caribbean."

The man shook his head, tossing down the pencil he'd been holding. "That's just disgusting…I'd _love_ to go do all of that…"

"Yeah, protests are lovely," Duo muttered glumly. "Being called a murdering lunatic is just great…"

The guy actually thought about everything before looking to Duo's distant eyes again. "Hey…you have my support," he shrugged. "For whatever good it does…"

_Nothing whatsoever_. Duo thought silently, but grinned at the guy. "Thank you."

- -

E/N: The song is history repeating, by Propeller Head, or however it's spelled.


	4. Sealed

**Sealed**

Duo studied Heero curiously as Heero rubbed his temples, staring at a packet of paper Une had sent him. He'd been watching his friend for some time, and was very aware that the guy's eyes hadn't moved, and he was on the same page he'd been on when Duo'd stepped into the room.

"What?" Heero asked finally, looking up.

Duo studied his eyes, shaking his head and moving next to him. "Nothing. I just wanted to see what you were doing," he looked to the packet himself, scanning the page Heero'd been on a few times and turning his head to meet the guy's eyes. "How many times did you read this page?"

Heero didn't respond, having shifted away slightly from Duo in startlement, blinking at him.

"What?" Duo asked, frowning at the distance between them before looking back to the paper and staring at it as he waited for Heero to give in and move back to his side. It took maybe a fraction of a moment before his assumption was proven correct.

Heero went so far as to let some of his weight rest against Duo's side, looking back to the paper. "I just…can't focus," he muttered, trying to figure out what Duo's hair smelled like.

"That's understandable," Duo muttered, elbowing him gently in the stomach, tucking his hair behind his ear and starting to read aloud, taking his time.

"Wh…" Heero cleared his throat. "Where's Quatre?"

Duo shrugged. "He's off with Zechs," he watched from the corner of his eye as Heero bit his lip, turning his head so they were face to face. "Why?"

Heero stared at him, his mouth opening slightly as if he were about to speak.

Duo studied his mouth a moment, then leaned over and kissed him. It was tentative at first, but the initial shock of it wore off. Heero hesitated a moment, but was kissing Duo back in short order, raising one hand to burry it in Duo's hair.

"I know that wasn't just me," Duo breathed, pulling away from Heero's mouth to meet his eyes, forcing his expression to remain neutrally shocked though he was silently laughing his ass off.

Heero pulled away completely, licking his lips as he stared at Duo, uncertain as to what should be done; what Duo expected, what Duo was even _thinking_ behind those glass eyes that portrayed nothing of real emotion.

Duo lost his amusement after another moment though and shook his head. "Just do me a favor and don't tell him," he muttered, turning and starting from the room.

Heero didn't reply.

- -

Up…down…up…down…

Duo was sitting on his bed and flipping the coin he was holding repeatedly. He hadn't seemed to want to talk all day, so Quatre was now curled in his bed with the blankets up to his neck, trying to figure out what the hell he'd done wrong as he watched his distant boyfriend flip the coin.

"You two fighting again?" Wufei demanded, pausing on his way past their open bedroom door, poking his head in to blink at them.

"No," Duo replied, continuing to flip the coin.

Wufei frowned, meeting Quatre's eyes and gesturing to the hall. He'd seen that Quatre'd almost spoken up, but had stopped when Duo'd spoken.

Quatre sighed, crawling from his warm hole. "I'm getting something to drink," he muttered, pausing in the door to look at Duo. "You want anything?"

"I'm good," Duo replied.

Quatre watched the coin a moment longer before pulling the door shut and heading into the kitchen, where Wufei was waiting with arms crossed and an eyebrow arched high.

"I don't know what's going on," Quatre muttered disconsolately, being sure his voice was lower than Duo's hearing could pick up. He opened the fridge, pulling out two drinks. "I got back from that meeting today and he was happy to see me at first, and then he sort of…slinked off and hasn't talked to me since," he frowned, leaning against the counter beside the door. "I've gone _over_ everything I said…and…"

Wufei didn't press about why it had to be Quatre who'd done something, because he'd seen Heero slinking around the house all evening. He'd noted that Heero's attention kept slipping back to Duo's room, and he'd seen the way Heero'd been looking at Quatre when Quatre would venture out for attention.

Wufei fought his grin and slight disbelief. "Why don't you go back in there, give him the soda, and kiss him?" Wufei asked, indicating the second can Quatre was holding. "Just…go throw yourself at him, he'll get over it. I'm sure he'll be nice and snuggly for you."

Quatre frowned at him, then turned back to the room as he decided to take the Chinese teen's advice. He blinked when Duo appeared in the door before he could open it, and Duo backed up, allowing him in. The guy continued to back up as they stared into each other's eyes, nearly sprawling backwards on his bed. "I want my good night kiss," Quatre muttered, crawling on top of the other boy.

"Keep that up and you'll get more than a kiss…" Duo muttered.

Quatre blushed at the very idea of sleeping with Duo, stopping his motion.

Duo chuckled, flipping Quatre so the slightly smaller teen was pinned firmly beneath him. "You really want to start something, don't you?" he muttered, grinning as he kissed the blond.

Quatre chuckled nervously in response, wrapping his fingers into Duo's and pausing, pulling his hand away to look at the small coin Duo was holding–had been flipping. He lay back, studying the thing as Duo studied his eyes, wanting to know his reaction.

"What is this?" Quatre asked, trying to figure out what the markings were around the edges of it. They were rubbed off, however, and only the vague silhouette of some past king or emperor remained.

"No idea," Duo muttered, taking the coin back and pocketing it, rolling off the other and sighing as he stared at the ceiling. "Quatre?"

"Yeah?" Quatre returned, sitting up to look down at Duo, all innocence in his ignorance.

Duo stared at him a long moment and smiled slightly. "I love you."

Quatre's face split into a sincere grin and he blushed again, moving to lie across Duo's chest and bury his face in his neck. "I love you, too, Duo…"

Duo pulled him closer, closing his eyes a long moment before pushing back at the other slightly. "You're right," he muttered. "It's time for bed," he stood, setting the coin on his headboard, dropping his jeans and pulling off his shirt.

Quatre nodded, though he was already stripped down to boxers, scurrying under Duo's blankets with a slight knot of anxiety in his stomach. They'd never actually slept together.

Duo turned back to the bed, looking taken aback for a brief moment before moving to the door–locking it, and flicking off the light.

"Duo?"

Duo slid next to Quatre. "Yeah?"

"You really want to come with me to Italy, right?"

"Yeah," Duo replied, taken aback yet again. "Of course I do. I don't want to leave you." The sincerity in the uncertainty of the question made him forget his guilt.

"Its just…today you've been…I mean…"

Duo sighed heavily, sitting up again to grab Quatre's hand, realizing something.

He didn't want to lie; he didn't want to have that guilt in his stomach…

"I…kissed Heero," he said quietly.

Quatre froze, the giddy happiness that had been welling up inside him slowly starting to drip away.

"I'm sorry," Duo added.

Quatre's throat clenched.

'_There won't __**be**__ a next time!_'

"I'm _so_ sorry…" Duo repeated, dropping his chin to his chest and waiting for the inevitable, for Quatre to start shouting at him, or to just get up and leave…

A slight tremor moved through Quatre, and he didn't act for a long moment. His voice was thick when he finally could manage to speak again. "You promised."

Duo dropped his head.

"Promise me now, for reals, Duo…For real, because this hurts…"

"I'm sorry…" Duo muttered.

"I don't want to hear your _apologies_!" Quatre snapped viciously, nearly shouting in the process.

Duo fell silent, slowly raising his face to meet Quatre's eyes.

They were filled with angry tears.

Duo pursed his own lips, feeling his own tears filling his eyes. "I swear to you on my _soul_…"

Quatre let out a relieved breath, throwing himself into Duo's arms.

Duo pulled him tighter to himself, staring at the wall and blinking his eyes slowly. He didn't like how weak Quatre felt in his arms, he didn't like how vulnerable Quatre felt in his arms…

_And that's what happens when you give your all,_ he focused on his coin, which was glowing slightly under the light of the alarm clock. _You __**give**__ your all to the person you trust. You can be weak in their arms…you can rely on __**their**__ strength_…he swallowed.

"You kissed him, or he kissed you?" Quatre demanded, a note in his voice that Duo'd never heard before.

"I…" he hesitated, realizing he had an out–if only he'd stop fucking over the one person who truly loved him…

_I won't do it again_, he decided mentally.

"I don't know," Duo muttered, raising his head like he was thinking, meeting Quatre's eyes through the dark room. He swallowed. "He was reading that packet from Une, and I could tell he'd stopped reading, so I moved next to him to help…and we were talking…and…we kissed."

There was another long silence.

"You do love me?" Quatre asked finally, his voice also filled with that vulnerability.

"I always have," Duo muttered, pressing his cheek to Quatre's firmly. "And I always will."

"Like a bad love song…" Quatre muttered, his tone slightly amused.

Duo smiled slightly. "Like an over-played love song."

Quatre laughed, pulling back to meet his eyes. "Don't do that to me anymore," he muttered.

"Do what?"

"Don't make me think it was me."

- -

"So what did you and Duo do?" Wufei asked Heero quietly as they stood on the back porch.

"What?" Heero demanded too quickly.

"You heard me, Yuy. I saw you slinking around yesterday like a cat who'd gotten into the cream. I saw how upset Duo _was_. What did you do?"

"What we did is none of your damn business," Heero replied laconically, his tone implying that he was very pleased with himself as they moved into the kitchen.

Wufei turned to stare at him and study his eyes; aware that Heero's eyes were like mirrors and showed nothing of his own feelings or thoughts when he didn't want them to.

Wufei smirked. "So what can I do to make it happen again?"

Heero blinked, losing his cool from shock.

Wufei focused on Quatre in a way similar to something Duo'd used to do to Heero–Quatre and Duo were wrapped up together on the couch, looking more than happy to remain exactly as they were until someone made them move.

"You're kiddin' me…" Heero muttered, eyes moving to Quatre, then back to Wufei.

Wufei sniggered. "I am, but that's beside the point."

Heero turned back to him sharply, the featureless mask snapping onto his face in an instant.

Wufei smiled, tracing Heero's jaw gently with one finger a moment before turning and starting into the living room main, glancing back at Heero as he slid next to the pair on the couch, rubbing Quatre's shoulder obviously as he smirked down at Duo. "How about letting someone else sit on the couch?" he demanded.

Quatre, who'd turned at his touch and immediately tried to pull away from it, turned to look at Wufei's expression in shock.

"Oh fine," Duo muttered, pulling himself up and hesitating until Quatre actually crawled off of him.

Wufei very obviously took a deep breath of the blonde's hair.

He actually didn't smell bad.

The point, however, was that Heero was biting it, hook, line, and sinker.

Quatre moved away from Wufei as quickly as he could manage it, giving Wufei as mildly angry glare as he curled into Duo's lap.

Duo somehow managed to remain oblivious.

- -

"So…let's recap, shall we?" Hilde demanded of Wufei, staring at him in mild amazement. "You…came on to Quatre right under Duo's nose…and you're…_shocked_ that he decked ya?"

Wufei glared at the girl from his uncovered eye.

"You _came-on_ to Quatre?" she added as if politely disbelieving.

"Shut-up, would ya?"

Her face split into a grin as Zechs coughed from where he was leaning against the counter. That distracted her instantly, and she bounced from her seat to lean against him, staring up into his face with a vacant expression of adoration. "I'm right, aren't I?" she demanded.

Zechs' eyes flicked to Wufei, who was glaring at him in an expectant irritation. He leaned over and kissed Hilde lightly, still eyeing Wufei, who rolled his eyes and looked away.

"Yeah," Zechs muttered finally, staring at Wufei. "You are right."

Wufei sighed, sliding lower in his seat and focusing on the pair again. "I hope you get caught," he informed them.

Zechs' expression darkened.

Hilde turned back to him, rolling her eyes and brushing that off as the pettiness it was. "Get over it," she instructed, moving toward him again and moving the ice-pack he was holding over his eye. "This will look lovely at camp."

Wufei sighed, lowering the ice to the table with a thud to glare at her with both eyes, well, what wasn't swollen of the right one. "They won't think anything of it," he informed her. "Heero and I have both shown up to courses with blackened eyes."

"From…each other?" Zechs asked, frowning.

Wufei gave Zechs a slightly facetious look. "From brawls, dumb-ass. We're not good boys. We've been known to sneak into bars."

Zechs frowned again. "Meaning that Une and Poe _know_ you go into bars…"

Wufei grinned at him. "Do they?"

Zechs frowned again.

"So what did you _do_?" Hilde demanded, leaning forward in her seat again, studying Wufei; drinking up his injury and the complete disbelief that brought her to it.

Wufei sighed. "I told you, I made a move on Quatre…"

"Wufei!" she nearly shouted.

There was a stir from Duo's room.

Hilde giggled, flicking her hair back and rising. "Fine, you boys play nice now," she winked at Zechs, then moved into the living room, crossing to Duo's room to push the door open.

Of course, Duo and Quatre were making out…she made a slight face and flicked the light on. "None of that unless I'm involved."

Duo smirked at Quatre. "Then get over here."

Quatre blushed slightly, shoving Duo off and sitting up to give Hilde a dirty look. "Can't you see we're busy?"

Hilde shut the door and strolled languidly across the room to straddle the Arabian. "Yes, hence I want an invite," she leaned down like she'd kiss him.

Quatre avoided her mouth, giving her a look. "Don't."

She pouted at him, but slid next to him on the bed, giving Duo a look with raised eyebrows.

"What?" he demanded, sitting up as well, running his hands through his hair like he still had his braid.

"Wufei," she returned simply, studying his eyes.

Duo's eyes darkened.

"What about him?" Quatre demanded darkly.

"Why does he have a black eye?" Hilde returned, batting her eyes innocently.

"Because he's a bastard."

"Like you have room to talk," Quatre muttered, then froze, eyes going wide.

"Mm…trouble in paradise…" Hilde giggled an evil little giggle.

Duo had his eyes downcast, looking away.

"What did you _do_?" Hilde demanded before Quatre could say more

"I kissed Heero," Duo replied quietly, still not looking at either of them.

"I didn't mean it…Duo…" Quatre moved over to try and make his boyfriend meet his eyes.

Duo avoided him. "It's fine, Quatre. You're right…don't…don't…just _stop!_" Duo snapped suddenly, breaking Quatre's grip before he could force him to look up, jumping off the bed.

Quatre stared at him, amazed and obviously hurt.

"I'm going for a walk," Duo snarled at Hilde, directing his anger at her before turning and storming into the living room. "Fuck you, Wufei."

"Kiss my ass!" Wufei shouted back–they heard the Chinese teen moving around, but also Zechs, muttering something.

The front door slammed.

"Well, have fun in Italy," Hilde muttered to Quatre, annoyed that her friend was giving her the effects of his anger. He'd continue to do it as well, he'd done it before.

"Hilde, please don't leave…" Quatre muttered, chasing her and grabbing her by the arm. "You know I didn't mean that! I know how he's going to be with you…it was my fault…"

Hilde stopped, sighing heavily and turning to meet his eyes.

Quatre let her go, his eyes downcast.

"It's fine, Quatre," she released him from her own anger. "Go follow him."

"He wants to be alone," Quatre muttered, looking away again.

"Just do what I tell you, Quatre. You know I know how he works better than you do."

Quatre sighed, moving to plop onto Duo's bed, pulling his runners on before reaching to the far corner of the bed, grabbing his t-shirt and pulling it on.

Hilde blushed, realizing suddenly that he'd had his shirt off from the beginning.

Quatre stared at her reddening face in confusion a long moment before a slow smirk spread across his face and he lifted his chin to show her the very evident hickies–and slight bruises from bite marks.

Hilde fled.

- -

"So what are your plans for the summer?" Trevor asked Trowa, studying his stomach as they stood close together.

"I'm going to meet with the circus on Monday, and we'll head to Spain," Trowa replied, running his hands through his lover's hair. "And then I'll head out to the third cluster."

"I wish I could be there with you," Trevor muttered, nuzzling Trowa's chest.

"No," Trowa returned easily. "It's fine this way. If I have to get pissed at the people, I won't have to worry that you're watching," he winked.

Trevor chuckled, leaning completely against Trowa. "How about the others?"

"Duo and Quatre are going to Italy, and then they'll meet me in Spain," Trowa sighed. "We're also going to the Caribbean."

"What?" Trevor demanded, pulling away to glare up at his lover. "Just like that? You're not even going to invite me? With that shit you pulled with Heero…"

"I told you," Trowa returned evenly. "I only did that to get him detention. It was twenty bucks out of Duo's pocket. Don't get so pissy with me."

The guy glared and pouted at him.

Trowa sighed in irritation. "Anyway, when we're done at the Caribbean, we're going to the colonies. Quatre's paying all our way, there, I might add. It wasn't like I just decided to go on a whim. If other people were being invited, I'd take you, all right?"

Trevor made a face looking away.

Trowa sighed again, controlling his irritation. "Anyway, Wufei and Heero are going to a retraining camp. So part of what we'll be doing when we're there will be our own retraining."

"Why don't you all just go?" Trevor demanded, still petulant.

"Because when we do shit like that we all ride the same wave-length and get ourselves in trouble," Trowa rolled his eyes, pulling away from his lover. "I have to go."

"Why?" Trevor demanded, standing there uncertainly. "You know I'm leaving for the rest of the week…"

"Maybe we should just end this now," Trowa said levelly, looking up to the guy. "If you're going to have issues with me hanging out with my friends, I'm not even going to bother with this."

"Hanging out with your _friend_?" Trevor demanded, moving toward him in irritation. "What do you expect with what…"

"With what I did with Heero?" Trowa finished coldly. "Yeah, and I _told_ you about that _before_ I did it, so imagine what I might do that I _don't_ tell you."

The guy's face clouded and he started ringing his fingers. "You do…stuff…"

"_No_," Trowa replied, glaring. "But the fact that you accepted that I did so easily tells me that either you have a guilty conscious, or fuckin' trust issues that I won't even touch."

"So just like that? We're done, just like that? Doesn't matter that we fucked? That I bared my soul to you…"

Trowa moved to the door, shaking his head in irritation.

"You can't just…leave me…" Trevor was short on breath.

Trowa turned back to him, shaking his head as he opened the door. "I just did."


	5. Together

**Together**

"Is it just me, or has Trowa been storming around the house a lot lately?" Quatre muttered to Duo as they tossed their bags against the wall beside the front door. Trowa had appeared behind them down the hall and disappeared out back for a moment before reappearing and heading into the bathroom.

"I noticed that myself," Duo muttered, realizing that Hilde and Zechs were sitting on the back porch making out. "That would be why he came back in," he added, pointing at the pair.

"She's just begging Lucratzia to kill her, isn't she?" Quatre muttered.

"I don't know," Duo muttered back, studying the back of Zechs' light-blond head. "I don't think they're really a couple…not the way everyone believes."

"We could ask him," Quatre suggested, mischief in his eyes.

Duo smirked back at him, following him into the kitchen, stopping at the fridge and accepting the bottle of water Quatre retrieved for him. They made their way onto the back porch, where Hilde favored them with a sincere glare–almost certainly what had driven Trowa off.

Duo ignored this, however, sitting just behind Zechs as Quatre sat the step below them.

"What do you want?" Hilde demanded irritably as Zechs turned to look at both of them. He'd stopped detaching himself from her at all of their approach when she'd informed him irritably that they knew, but that didn't make him any more comfortable.

"What?" he asked as well, looking from one to the other, not liking this scrutiny.

"I'm going to hurt someone," Hilde muttered menacingly, starting to pull away from Zechs.

"Please let it be me…" Duo muttered sincerely.

Quatre smacked him.

Duo laughed.

Zechs choked back his own chuckle, rubbing his mouth with the back of his hand as he looked at them. "Can I help you, Gentlemen?"

"We're curious," Quatre informed him, tipping his water bottle in the older man's direction before taking a sip.

"We've been trying to figure something out," Duo agreed, snapping the seal of his own water bottle after looking at Quatre a moment.

"About what?" Zechs asked, raising an eyebrow at Duo. He knew that if he were going to get angry, it would have to be at the American since any attack on the Arabian would anger Duo twice as much.

Duo pointed at Hilde with his water bottle.

"She's not bad in bed," Zechs muttered, shrugging it off as if he didn't understand why they'd ask that.

Hilde actually gasped, pulling away.

Duo, however, had choked and lost a bit of his cool.

Zechs' laughter was delighted as he slid the girl off his lap and leaned to Duo's face so they were eye-to-eye. "I haven't fucked her and you know it," he muttered, using one hand to pull Duo even more to him–Duo thought for an instant the man would kiss him, but he didn't. Instead he pressed his lips to Duo's ear. "And if Lucratzia finds out _any_ of this, I'll know who to look for."

"Funny," Duo muttered as his slight anxiety passed to be replaced with irritation. "Neither of us intended to tell her," he turned his face sharply so his lips brushed Zechs' and Zechs jumped back, eyes suddenly wary. "I just wanted to know what your relationship with Lucratzia was," Duo added, staring the older man down.

He had to be thankful for homophobes sometimes, really…

Quatre had jumped forward at Zechs' original movement, then hovered at a safe distance as the rest played out. Zechs straightened slowly as he studied Duo's eyes with consideration.

Hilde was simply gaping at the lot of them, completely at a loss.

Quatre slid up against Zechs as he moved up the stairs, meeting his eyes. "We're just wondering if your dear girlfriend may have found another toy…and if Relena was being particularly grumpy when she found out about this," he indicated Hilde as he stood clear on the patio part of the stairs.

Zechs' teeth were very obviously clenched and he was holding himself strangely.

"I think you've had your fun," Hilde snapped, moving up beside him.

Duo stood quickly, stretching his lankly form to it's full height before leaning extremely close to her mouth, though not quite touching as he stopped. "I don't know," he muttered, studying her eyes as she backed off. "I can think of a _load_ of fun just waiting for…a bit of…provocation," he ran one hand up her hip as he said this, then jumped clear of her as she swung at him, starting to laugh as Hilde regained herself and started for him. "Run, Quatre!" he cried, shoving his boyfriend toward the kitchen.

- -

"_Ahh_…hurt me, baby!" Duo was laughing and very obviously in pain.

Trowa moved into the living room slowly, not sure what he'd see–not sure he'd _want_ to know…Duo was grunting and groaning a lot.

Coming to the corner, Trowa stopped to stare in mild amazement at the person he realized was Hilde. He'd thought it was Duo and that Duo was Hilde. Duo was leaning forward with his head between his legs as Hilde beat on him, basically.

"You're such a prick!" she was repeating, and something about a monster and bothering Zechs.

"Do you want my help?" the brunette asked uncertainly, moving closer to the back of the couch.

"Ahh!" Duo cried again as he was hit–again, with the book Hilde was holding. "I would appreciate it," he muttered.

"Not you," Trowa returned.

Hilde stopped finally, breaking into giggles and dropping back onto the couch.

"Thank you," Duo muttered, taking a breath and sitting up to look at the other. He took a moment to straighten his hair and run his hands down his face…before focusing on, and attacking, Hilde.

Of course, his attack was tickling her.

"I'm sorry!" she cried out through her helpless laughter. "I'm sorry, it's just…Duo! I…Duo!" they both fell silent, however, as his actions brought him close to her face.

Trowa glanced around uncertainly, not wanting to be a witness to Duo's further infidelity. He was in no way shocked that it was happening again, but he felt like he had to take sides.

He wondered if taking Duo's side was such a good idea.

Trowa's attention snapped back to the pair as Duo jumped to his feet and away from Hilde quickly. "Don't _do_ that!" he snapped at her, then darted around the couch and into his bedroom without a single glance backwards.

"I'm really going to have to talk to Quatre about that," Hilde muttered laconically, tilting her head back to look at the clock on the wall before looking at Trowa. "You were never such a pain in the ass about it."

- -

"Ouch! Don't! Shit…" Duo turned to glare at Trowa, who'd just smacked him upside the head.

"If you hurt Quatre again, I am _so_ going to kick your ass," Trowa snarled quietly at him, aware that everyone else was in the living room.

"I didn't _do_ anything!" Duo snarled back, just as quietly. "Jesus, act like I committed some sin…"

"You're not exactly faithful, Duo, remember? _Ever_."

Duo's expression changed to slightly pouty.

"It's always a thing of the moment with you. I dealt with it," Trowa went on, pointing at his own chest, "didn't let it bother me," he gestured toward the living room. "But _Quatre_ has never even been in a _relationship_ before. You _cannot_ keep fucking him over!"

Duo'd drawn himself up, really wanting to shout at his ex, but not knowing what to say. He had promised himself he'd stop fucking Quatre over, and so far he'd kept it true–granted, it'd only been three days since he'd made the pact with himself, but that wasn't the point.

"And you had better watch out for Heero," Trowa added quietly, moving around him to dig into the fridge. "He wants you and he wants to get back at Quatre."

"What?" Duo demanded, frowning.

"You heard me," Trowa snapped, pulling away. "He told me that Quatre went and told him that if he could take you away from him, he could," Trowa shook his head. "So Heero's going to try, and you've now pissed Wufei off enough that he'll _help_ Heero."

"Hey, that was Wufei's own damn fault," Duo protested, pointing at his friend. "He was making moves on him with me right _there_."

Trowa gave him a level look. "I know that the shit with Heero will play out however," he went on, "but Hilde was mildly annoyed with you earlier for almost kissing her."

"I didn't almost kiss her," Duo grumped. "She almost kissed me."

This got him another level look.

"Okay fine!" Duo conceded throwing his hands up in surrender. "I'll watch myself."

"Thank you," Trowa muttered tightly, moving around him and starting for the living room again.

Duo caught his arm before he could pass, pulling slightly so the other swung around to face him again before he could stop it. "I never meant to hurt you," he informed him.

"We've been over this before, Duo," Trowa snapped. "Why do you think I'm talking to you now?"

"What's going on?" Quatre's voice was curious as he surveyed the pair with a raised eyebrow.

Duo let Trowa go and Trowa brushed past the blond back into the living room.

"Duo?" Quatre asked when the said pilot remained quiet.

"We were talking," Duo muttered, glancing away from Quatre's eyes briefly.

"About what?" Quatre demanded, moving up to his boyfriend to kiss him lightly on the lips. "You look all serious."

Duo grinned back, kissing Quatre's ear as he started for the living room himself.

"Duo?"

Duo turned back to look at Quatre, not wanting to _lie_ but knowing no other way to keep his and Trowa's relationship under wraps.

"You want some ice-cream?" he asked.

Duo blinked, staring into Quatre's innocent eyes...young eyes...for a long moment. "Uh…no thanks," he smiled. "Thanks, though."

Quatre smiled back, digging into the freezer.

- -

"Duo? We're landing."

Duo came awake slowly, sitting up and looking around. The lessening of elevation would have woken him a moment later had Quatre remained quiet, he smiled at the blond boy, who could only have been awake for moments longer than Duo himself. "Thanks," he muttered, sitting up some.

Quatre leaned against him, kissing his jaw and resting his head against his side.

"Why so melancholy?" Duo muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm tired, things have been off lately, and I get to go listen to stuffy blue-collar bastards tell me to hurry up and grow up. Sorry I'm not the summer morning sun for you."

"Hey…" Duo muttered reassuringly, running his hand over Quatre's arm. "That's not what I meant," he kissed Quatre's head. "I've been watching you get more and more down, and want to know what I can do to help."

Quatre smiled wanly up at him as the plane touched down on the runway. "Thank you."

Duo smiled back. "We're in Italy now, I think we can let loose and enjoy ourselves."

Quatre's smile widened a bit as he studied Duo's eyes. "I have an idea," he muttered, leaning up to kiss Duo softly as the plane started to slow. "But it'll require some patience on your part."

"Hm?" Duo replied curiously, wondering what his boyfriend meant.

Quatre chuckled. "I'll tell you about it tonight, huh?"

Duo frowned slightly, looking around. "We have time now, we're landing…" he was taken aback by Quatre's next kiss–enough so that he forgot the subject.

"I said it would require patience," Quatre muttered, smiling mischievously at his boyfriend. "I meant it."

"But, Quat…"

Quatre lay his finger across Duo's lips, continuing to smirk at him.

Duo sat back and sighed in exasperation.

"See?" Quatre muttered, running a hand over Duo's thigh as a stewardess moved to their row. "I'm feeling better already."

Duo watched Quatre's hand move higher up his thigh than it ever had, and had to force himself not to tense. "Yeah," he muttered, feeling a slight rush when Quatre's hand didn't stop, looking up to meet the other's eyes.

Quatre chuckled evilly, his hand stopping millimeters from the mark, and stood up.

- -

It had taken Duo and Quatre probably ten minutes to settle into the motel Quatre had reserved for them…the suite. The entire top floor of one of the taller buildings. Duo was more excited than he'd really show, and spending time alone with Quatre was making him feel more and more happy.

He really didn't understand his luck.

Quatre himself was well pleased, he could tell that Duo truly was happy for the accommodations, and had no intention of ruining their first evening in Vienna by forcing his boyfriend to admit it.

"Let's take a boat," Duo said suddenly, looking down into the water around them, watching the men poling couples down one of the many canals.

"All right," Quatre agreed happily, following Duo's lead as the American dragged him down the road in search of an empty boat.

Duo beamed at him.

- -

Duo stretched luxuriously and caught his breath, sliding beneath the surface of the bubble-filled tub. The only time he missed his braid was when it would have been submerged like this, the weight of it taken off him…

"Duo?" Quatre's voice sounded slightly muffled and odd through the water.

Duo broke the surface again, wiping his eyes. "Yeah?" he froze, however, when the water level in the tub rose and shifted, opening his eyes to look at Quatre. Quatre was sitting across from him, his expression slightly nervous.

"You don't…mind?" Quatre asked, running one hand up the other's leg.

"No," Duo agreed breathlessly, still in too much shock to think clearly. "No…it's…fine…"

"You're…speechless?" Quatre pressed, his expression breaking into a slightly naughty smirk.

Duo mouthed at him, not sure what to say.

Quatre lunged across the space between them with a laugh, kissing Duo soundly.

- -

"You'd think they'd have an answering machine," Trowa muttered, tapping his fingers impatiently on the counter-top.

"Or would have _called_ saying they'd arrived safely," Wufei agreed.

"It's Duo and his boyfriend in one of the most romantic cities on the planet," Heero countered.

"Do I detect bitterness, Mon Cherré?" Hilde asked sweetly.

Heero gave her a long hard stare.

She smiled sweetly at him, batting her eyes.

"At any rate…"

"Hello?" Duo's voice was irritated.

"Well, well, well…"

"Oh, shit, Trowa…" Duo's voice lost some annoyance. "Sorry we forgot to call…"

"What took you so long to answer?" Trowa demanded.

Duo's expression was very level as he stared into the camera.

"Is that…bubbles?" Hilde asked, mildly disbelieving.

"Duo, who is it?" Quatre's voice came from somewhere behind–after a moment's study they all recognized it as a bathroom. There was a shift of water and Quatre's head appeared from a tub.

"It's the others. We forgot to call them," Duo replied, glancing back over his shoulder.

"Well…tell them we're sorry and hang up."

"That _is_ bubbles!" Hilde stated, moving closer to the vid. "Oh my god, Duo…" she muttered, focusing on Quatre. "Are you two…"

Duo opened his mouth, his expression unreadable…

"Duo?"

Duo glanced over his shoulder, then smirked at the camera. "I've got to go…we'll call you….when we wake up tomorrow."

His grin was utterly evil as the line disconnected.

"You've gotta be shittin' me…" Hilde muttered.

Trowa was rolling his eyes.

Wufei was staring at the screen with his mouth wide open.

Heero stormed from the room, his door slamming shut moments later.


	6. Living and Learning

**Living and Learning**

"Wufei, you truly drive me mad."

"Meilan, I don't even want to talk to you right now," Wufei snapped, looking up at his wife through his reading glasses. He was surrounded by flowers and the warm reflected sunlight was making everything seem brighter than it truly was.

"You say such things to your wife?" the woman demanded, her tone sounding slightly tearful.

"Crocodile tears," Wufei snapped as tears actually rolled down her cheeks. He forced himself to look away and focus on his book again, trying to read.

"Your mother would be shamed!" Meilan shouted, throwing a handful of grass blades at him before turning and running back up to their house.

Wufei had stood to follow her before he realized it, annoyed and a little hurt. He hesitated as a blade of grass fell in front of his face.

The Chinese teen sighed heavily, and started for the house.

- -

"You look like hell," Heero noted pleasantly, studying Wufei's haggard face.

"Shut-up."

Heero laughed slightly, clearing his throat and looking back to his bowl of cereal. "I wish Duo were here."

"Why?" Wufei returned icily. "So you could fuck with him again and hurt Quatre more? I, for one, am _glad_ the jackass American took off with that silly boy."

Heero blinked, regarding Wufei's back in astonishment as Wufei slammed open a cupboard and tossed a pan on the counter.

"Uh…actually, I meant I wanted him to make me breakfast…" Heero muttered, blinking as Trowa came into the room with a raised eyebrow.

Wufei turned and regarded him with an icy stare.

"Well good morning and how do you do to you, too," Trowa said pleasantly, studying Wufei and Heero curiously. "Lover's quar…_ouch!_"

The sound of a pan landing on the floor nearly deafened Trowa as a throbbing pain spread from a spot on his forearm–which he'd managed to raise in time to fend off the flying heavy metal object.

He stared in Wufei in amazement.

"I'm really not in the mood today, Trowa," Wufei said in a tone that could be described as deadly. He crossed the room and picked up the pan, moving back to the sink with less anger in his bearing, running water over the thing and starting to dry it slowly as Trowa and Heero both stared at him, neither moving.

Wufei sighed heavily, setting the pan on the burner and stopping. "I'll…make you eggs if you want, both of you?" he turned to look from one to the other.

"I'll take some eggs!" Hilde announced happily, bouncing in. She was wearing her normal silky bottom pajamas with a matching top…and nothing else, as far as the guys could tell.

They all looked away.

Hilde's laughter was evil. "Okay, what's this?" she demanded, focusing on Trowa's forearm. He'd been holding it in his left hand.

"Wufei…threw the pan…at me…" Trowa muttered, collecting his thoughts and meeting her eyes with a confused expression.

"What?" she asked blankly, turning to look at Wufei again.

Wufei looked away.

"Right…" she muttered, moving to sit next to Heero at the table.

The vid started beeping.

Trowa hit the button, seeing as he was the closest to the thing, and Quatre appeared with a radiant look about him. "Hey!" he greeted them pleasantly.

"Sittin' on the dock of the bay, wastin' time…" they could all hear Duo in the background as he started whistling some unknown song.

"Hey!" Hilde greeted happily, bouncing across the room to stand in front of the screen. "How's Italy?"

"Beautiful!" Duo announced before going back into song. "This two thousand miles I roamed just to make this dock my home…"

Hilde giggled.

"It's nice, here," Quatre agreed, turning to look over his shoulder–Duo fell silent for a long moment before starting to sing yet again and Quatre turned back to the screen. "I have meetings now, though. We're going to be heading to my estate this evening, so don't try calling us here anymore, all right?"

Hilde nodded.

"What's the matter, Wufei?" Quatre added, his expression confused.

Everyone focused on Wufei, who stared at the mess of egg in the pan before him. He didn't move for a long moment, but they all knew he wouldn't just ignore Quatre's question.

"I dreamed last night," Wufei muttered quietly, still staring at the eggs. "And I no longer want to think about the subject matter."

There was a long silence and general exchange of looks.

"Meilan," he explained shortly, his tone quiet.

"Oh."

- -

"You about ready to take off, Fei?" Heero had just tossed his duffel bag into the back of the truck provided he and Wufei by the local Preventer's office. The local officers had decided that Heero's piece of shit car would not be fit to make it all the way up the coast. It would be a ten-hour drive before a two-hour ferry ride and a two-week training session at the base. Wufei and Heero would both take some lessons as well as teach them.

Wufei, who was standing on the front porch looking around the busy neighborhood, turned and focused on Heero again. He nodded after a second, turning and opening the front door of the house. "We're leaving!" he announced loudly.

"Ooh! Just a minute!" Hilde's voice came from the general direction of her room.

Wufei shut the door and grinned at her squeak of protest.

Zech's car suddenly appeared down the road at a too-fast speed, squealing to a stop in front of the house. Before either Wufei or Heero could make out who was _in_ the car, Relena burst out of it, running across the yard to throw her arms around Wufei's neck.

Heero sniggered as Zechs popped out the driver-side door with a smirk. "Did I get you here fast enough, Angel?" he asked his sister.

Relena, however, was gushing all over Wufei as Hilde opened the front door to blink out at him and smile.

"Don't _ever_ do that again, Zechs Marquise!" Lucratzia's voice was slightly frightened and very much annoyed.

Hilde froze.

"Shut-up, Lucratzia," Relena replied promptly without looking at the woman. "I didn't invite you, and I asked him to drive fast."

Lucratzia rolled her eyes, giving Zechs a look before turning to meet eyes with Hilde. "Sometimes the two of them…I swear!"

Hilde's smile seemed extremely fake to Heero, but Lucratzia shook her head and crossed the yard to stand next to the slightly shorter girl and crossing her arms as if Hilde and she were friends.

Trowa appeared a moment later, his eyes landing on Lucratzia as Zechs sauntered around the car, meeting Heero's eyes with a slight smirk.

"You realize that she is my friend, don't you?" Heero asked sweetly in Japanese.

Zechs tilted his head curiously.

"Who's your friend?" Lucratzia asked, blinking at him.

"Don't _do_ that!" Hilde admonished in utter irritation, glaring at him.

Heero laughed delightedly.

"She doesn't speak Chinese, dumb-ass," Wufei informed Heero in Chinese.

"My bad," Heero replied in kind.

"What?" Lucratzia asked, looking bewildered.

"She also thinks that we're friends," Hilde added, giving them both level looks as if she were telling them to stop. "She doesn't realize that I fucked her man last night."

Zechs' laughter was evil.

"What are they saying?" Lucratzia demanded with a would-be-cute pout, had any of them liked her.

Heero, Wufei, and Trowa, however, were glaring at Zechs.

Zechs coughed, stepping back slightly. "Hilde told them to go fuck themselves…or me."

Lucratzia broke into giggles, smacking Hilde in the arm.

Hilde laughed as well. "I knew you'd appreciate it," she muttered.

"We've really…got to go," Heero muttered, grinning at the pair before meeting eyes with Trowa. He was truly annoyed that Zechs would sleep with Hilde when he was with Lucratzia. "I'll call Duo in a while and let him know."

"Oh, don't worry!" Hilde cut in quickly, knowing what her friend truly meant by that.

"Don't worry, I'll do it," Wufei replied quietly. "You'll be driving."

Hilde gave them both a helpless look.

Trowa moved down between the two dark haired females, draping an arm over their shoulders as he stood between them. "Don't worry about us, you two, I'll take care of the ladies…" he glanced at Zechs but refrained from commenting further.

"Trowa!" Relena's voice sounded scandalized as she stared at him in amazement.

Trowa started laughing.

Wufei started laughing as well, kissing Relena…and freezing.

Everyone was staring at them.

Relena giggled and blushed, ducking her head slightly. "I'll see you in Spain, Wufei," she muttered quietly, still not looking at him.

Wufei smiled back as well, pulling her into a hug before kissing her throat–why not go all the way once you started something? "Take care," he muttered quietly in her ear, moving around her to hug Trowa and Hilde.

"Watch yourself," he muttered in Hilde's ear. "I don't really want to hurt him, but I will."

Hilde frowned at him.

Wufei turned back to Relena and leaned down to kiss her again, cupping her face in one hand as he studied her eyes. He was realizing that he would actually miss her little petty annoyances for the next two weeks.

"We need to go," Heero added quietly.

Wufei nodded, moving away from Relena slowly.

"If you hurt her…" Zechs started, stepping forward and pointing at Wufei with his keys.

Wufei met his eyes. "The feeling is mutual."

Zechs dropped back slightly, very much aware that the "mutual" feeling was not over his little sister, but over Hilde, who Wufei almost saw as a little sister.

"We'll call when we get there," Heero announced, sliding into the driver's seat as Wufei crawled into the passenger seat.

"Drive safe," Hilde muttered as Wufei rolled the window down, waving out at the lot of them.

"I'm going to kill him," Heero said quietly as the diesel engine roared to life and the stereo blasted on, he didn't bother turning it down as he smiled out at Hilde and waved, backing the monstrosity up.

"Not if I do it first," Wufei replied shortly.

- -

Master O was watching was watching Wufei with distant eyes as the boy punched a punching bag hanging from the wall. "You seem angry," he noted.

"Of course I'm angry," Wufei replied shortly, brushing his hair from his face in irritation. "I'm married to a woman I don't care for, and she continually puts me to shame," he slammed his fist harder into the soft material.

"You don't care for her, yet you let her shame you?"

Wufei decided not to reply to that.

Master O drummed his nails on his chin a moment, studying Wufei. "If you would just let yourself care for her, you'd find that Meilan is a darling girl. She has her rough edges, but what female doesn't?"

"She's inconsiderate in her scolding," Wufei snapped.

"Is she, or are you simply inconsiderate of her?"

Wufei stopped, catching the bag to turn and blink at Master O. "I leave her to herself…I don't force myself on her…I don't _ask_ her to do things for me…I'm completely content to do things for myself. She follows me around as if she _wants_ me to make demands of her."

"Maybe she does," Master O wanted to grin, but knew the fourteen year old's pride would end everything if he did so. "Women are funny, sometimes. It is my considered opinion that you are making her feel inadequate by your independence. A marriage is not made of two single people."

Wufei frowned, studying the man's expression as he thought about this. "So I…should…tell her to do stuff for me?"

"No!" Master O cut-in quickly, raising his hands slightly. "Ask her."

Wufei blinked at this.

"Let her know that you appreciate her, and it will make her feel better…just as she should let you know she appreciates you."

Wufei snorted. "That woman…she doesn't appreciate me."

"Then why does she follow you, Wufei?"

Wufei blinked at him.

Master O allowed himself a smile as he turned and left the gym.

- -

"Yo, Fei!"

Wufei jumped awake, looking around blankly. The truck was slowing down as it entered a rest-area. Wufei turned his attention to Heero as the truck parked.

Heero was leaning against the steering wheel with his eyes closed.

"Are you okay?" Wufei asked, sitting up.

"I'm half asleep," Heero replied, sitting up and blinking at Wufei. "I need to sleep now."

Wufei nodded and Heero slid from the driver's seat, moving slowly around the truck as Wufei slid out as well, accepting the keys from him. "I need to use the bathroom," Wufei informed his friend as Heero climbed up the steps.

"I'll be sleeping when you come back," Heero replied, turning to look at Wufei, who nodded. He shut the door and locked them all, focusing on buckling himself in.

Wufei moved quietly to the bathrooms, noting that the rest-area was nearly empty. There were a few semis parked off to one side, and only one other vehicle near. Behind he could hear another truck pulling in.

He ran the water into the sink and stared at his reflection.

When his cell-phone rang, he jumped, turning off the water and lifting it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Wufei?" Relena's voice was sweet like rain.

"Hey," Wufei muttered happily, closing his eyes and leaning against the stall.

"Where are you guys?" she asked after a moment's pause.

"I'm not sure. I fell asleep and Heero didn't wake me up until we were _in_ a rest-area."

"Ah…"

"What time is it?"

"It's going on four."

Wufei grinned, opening his eyes.

"I thought I'd make sure you two were awake," she added quickly.

"Thank you."

"Wufei…today…I mean…" she seemed slightly breathless.

"The kiss?" Wufei asked quietly.

"Yeah…" she fell silent again. "What did you…mean…by it?"

Wufei was silent a long moment as he stared at himself in the mirror. "That I care for you…and appreciate your feelings," he muttered finally, thinking back to the many lectures he'd received on relationships.

She giggled uncertainly. "I…I miss you."

Wufei couldn't help but smile. "I miss you, too."

"Do you want me to call again?"

"Maybe in a few hours…if you're awake."

She caught her breath. "If you want me to be…" she started.

_Let her know you appreciate her_…

"Maybe at seven or eight?" he offered. "That way you still have time to sleep."

"All right," she seemed pleased–and he could hear her yawn.

"What are you _doing?_" Wufei could hear Zechs clearly from the background.

"I'm talking to Wufei," Relena replied acidly.

"Give me the phone."

There was the noise of a scuffle and Wufei waited impatiently for the man to get the phone.

"Wufei?"

"Zechs."

"What's going on?"

"She called me to make sure we were still awake."

"Oh…does…"

"I haven't told her yet that you fucked her best friend, no, but I can if you want."

Zechs fell silent.

"If you hurt Hilde, you _know_ we'll all be all over your ass. I can't believe…"

"Wufei?" it was Relena again, sounding confused.

"Where'd he go?" Wufei demanded.

He passed me the phone and walked out…what's with you guys? Sheesh…"

"He's upset with me for kissing you."

She snorted.

"Listen, Love, I've got to start driving again…I'm gonna have to let you go."

"All right," she muttered, sounding pleased. "Does seven-thirty sound good to you?"

"Sounds like a plan," he agreed, listening to her breath for a few moments. "I'll talk to you later, then. Sleep well."

"You, too…well, be well."

Wufei chuckled.

"Bye."

"Bye." Wufei hung up, pocketing his phone again and running the water, splashing it over his face before patting it dry with a towel and looking at himself in the mirror…to see Heero standing in the door.

He jumped.

"Did you have to shit or something?" Heero demanded.

Wufei snorted. "Not hardly, Relena called."

Heero grinned slightly, studying Wufei's eyes. "So?"

"So what?" Wufei snapped back, tossing the towel in the trash and starting out the door.

"So what did she say?"

"She said she wanted to make sure we were still awake. I thought you said you'd be asleep?"

"I did, I was. You took too long so I went to make sure you hadn't fallen in."

Wufei turned to give him a look, hitting the button to unlock the doors.

Heero chuckled. "Let's go. I don't want to be on the road any longer than I have to be."

"Fine."

- -

"You look perplexed," Master O noted as Wufei stared at the door to the training room, a small brown bag in his hand. Master O could just see Meilan's dark head bobbing out of sight.

"She…kissed me," Wufei muttered back.

"Wives have a tendency to do that to their husbands…and their children."

Wufei's cheeks turned bright red as he focused on his teacher.

"But you'll find that one out for yourself," Master O continued as if the fourteen year old wasn't blushing over the idea of sleeping with his wife. "What did you do?"

"I…asked her to bring me lunch," Wufei muttered, opening the bag and blinking in at it and staring.

"She _does_ know your favorite food, doesn't she?" Master O smiled slightly.

Wufei was dumbfounded as he met the man's eyes.

"Just treat her right, Wufei, and she'll treat you right."

- -

E/N: "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding.


	7. Dusty Memories

**Dusty Memories**

"Oh, mothers let's go down, come on down, don't you wanna go down? Oh mothers let's go down, down to the river to pray…"

"You're starting to sound like Duo," Hilde informed Trowa, who was semi-waltzing across the kitchen to a song that Duo would have liked…if he weren't in Italy, anyway.

Trowa grinned at Hilde in return before grinning even more at Relena. "It came on earlier when I was in the car, so sue me."

"If only I could…for disrupting peace?" Hilde appealed to Relena.

Relena giggled and rolled her eyes.

Trowa laughed, taking a single flower from the bouquet Relena had brought with her, presenting it to her with a bow. "My lady."

Relena giggled even more, taking the flower from him and putting it back where he'd gotten it from.

"Don't you just…love the way it finishes the piece?" he asked, gesturing to the thing as if it were a piece of art. "I saw it, and I thought of you immediately…"

"Oh, Trowa, stop!" Relena muttered, batting at him.

Trowa laughed happily, turning back to the stove. "Oh, sinners let's go down…come on down, don't you wanna go down…oh, sinners let's go down, down to the river to pray," he disappeared into the living room.

"He's…remarkably bright this morning," Relena muttered, blinking after him.

"I think he got back together with his…" Hilde trailed off, realizing that Relena didn't know Trowa had a boyfriend. Let alone know that he'd broken up with him.

"With his what?" Relena asked curiously.

"…hand…" Hilde finished lamely.

Trowa started laughing from the living room. "For the record, darlin', me and my hand just had a bit of a dalliance."

"Trowa!" Relena was aghast and slightly embarrassed.

"That's horrible!" Hilde agreed.

Trowa popped his head back into the kitchen to look at the ladies. "My hand doesn't think so."

- -

"So…how are you this morning?" Trowa was studying Duo on the screen, taking in as many details of the other's face as he could.

"I'm great, Trowa, I'm wonderful."

Trowa frowned slightly. "What's the matter?"

"I'm not bored out of my fucking mind or horny like an old man on viagra, if that's what you're implying," Duo grumped, turning his back on the screen and walking across the room to lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"You're the one who opened Pandora's box," Trowa muttered, raising an eyebrow. "You knew this would happen when you went, so don't even try bitching."

"I'm not bitching, Trowa. If you remember, I said I'm _not_ those things."

Trowa snorted.

"Shut-up."

"Dude," Trowa muttered, raising an eyebrow at the screen himself. "Where's Q?"

"At one of those damn meetings. They keep him almost all day, we spend the evening out, the night in bed, then he goes away again. It's driving me mad. This isn't my ideal vacation…well, it's not bad, but…" he trailed off, staring at the ceiling a moment. "You know?"

"Yeah, I know," Trowa muttered, grinning slightly and pulling himself up onto the counter. He took a bite of the red apple he'd been holding and studied what he could see of his ex a long moment. "Has Heero called you?"

"No, I called him," Duo muttered.

Trowa took another bite, the sound crisp in the quiet kitchen. "And?"

"And what?"

"Did you hear the news?"

"There's news?" Duo demanded, focusing on the screen and studying Trowa with avid curiosity.

"About Relena, I mean."

"What? She's not taking Hilde?" Duo sat up, situating himself to see the screen better.

"No, she and Hilde are still leaving, but I mean…" Trowa took another bite, enjoying that he had a piece of information that Duo didn't. "Did you talk to Wufei at all?"

"Of course I did, Relena didn't come up," Duo stood and moved back across the room to sit in front of the vid. "Tell me, Trowa."

Trowa grinned, taking another bite and indicating his mouth, meaning he couldn't talk with his mouth full…not that he hadn't been already, mind, but that didn't need pointing out.

"You're killin' me already!" Duo protested, rising to his feet and pacing in a small circle, as Trowa took yet another bite. "I mean…I'm…" he sat firmly in front of the vid again, glaring at Trowa.

Trowa laughed, swallowing. "They're together."

"Who is?" Duo asked, his expression blank.

Trowa gave him a look.

The comprehension dawned slowly in the American's eyes before he actually met eyes with Trowa again. "You gotta be kiddin' me!"

Trowa shook his head, grinning.

Duo started laughing. "How the hell did that happen? When we were there, they were just friends…"

"Well," Trowa muttered, happy to have eased his friend's boredom. "The day they were heading out…" Trowa fell silent a long moment as his recollection touched on the fact that Zechs had slept with Hilde. He stared at Duo.

"Well?" Duo demanded, gesturing for Trowa to go on.

Trowa shook his head. "Yeah…she came…with Zechs…and…" he studied the guy as he went on. "He kissed her," he added, starting to grin. "They hugged and he just…kissed her."

Duo started laughing. "Gods, I'd have given anything to see that! What did she do? Did she slap him?"

Trowa shook his head, taking another bite of the apple.

"Did Zechs jump him?"

Trowa shook his head again.

Duo realized that he wasn't going to randomly guess, and considering that the pair were actually a couple–as far as he'd gathered, it wouldn't be something he'd think of right off anyway. He decided to adlib. "All right," he muttered after considering Trowa's face a moment and putting some thought into it. "Wufei kisses her and she steps back, staring in awe and wonder…because with an ego like that, he'd better be able to kiss," Trowa grinned. Duo winked. "Anyway, she stares at him, and then declares her undying love for him…if he'd just fuck her quick-like. Zechs, however, steps in with his patented big-brother routine, and that's how Wufei got his black-eye, right?"

"Wufei has a black-eye?" Trowa gave him a curious look.

Duo started laughing. "It's a real beauty…"

Trowa swallowed his bite and shook his head. "Actually, he kissed her and she kissed him back, then they sorta stared at each other before he hugged Hilde and went back for another kiss. As far as I can tell, he calls her every time he gets a chance."

Duo sniggered, shaking his head as he thought about it. "I'd never have thought…"

"Yeah, me neither."

- -

Hilde had her eyes closed as she sat on the couch, praying to any god that would pay her mind that Trowa not mention to Duo that she'd slept with Zechs. That was something she wanted to talk to Duo about first.

It was almost odd when they went quiet, almost like she could really hear them. She knew, however, that they…weren't real.

She studied the rip in her jeans as she walked across the sun-drenched pit, wondering where the hell she had been going. She hated it when that happened, when she forgot…

The day was probably going on ninety. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, though the wind was blowing fare-strong. She brushed her hair back, looking around the gravel pit and up to the store next to it. She could hear her friends babbling in the café, completely ignoring the fact that she'd walked out.

She glared as she kicked up another stone, her hair being raised a bit by the wind again.

"Hilde! Wait up!"

She turned to see Frankie jogging across the lot behind her. He looked too hot in his dress shirt and church slacks. He'd been at church that morning. She hadn't been, she never went anymore.

"You weren't in church," he admonished, stopping next to her and studying her black tank-top with red trim for a long moment. "Why weren't you in church?" he added, meeting her eyes.

"Because I don't have to go," she replied happily, smiling at him.

"Yeah…well, I don't have to go either, now, do I?"

"Yes you do. Your mom would get embarrassed if you didn't show up like a good little-boy."

He snorted.

"I want to go swimming," she added, turning to face the shack again and flipping it off. "But everyone else is busy eating."

"Yeah, most people eat lunch," he agreed, turning to join her in her walking backwards. "Some even eat breakfast."

"Some can afford to eat at the shack every fucking day of the week, but the rest of us go home and raid the cupboards."

"If you want to eat there," he muttered, studying her eyes, "I'll pay your way…I mean…I've got Daddy's plastic and Mommy's folding change. It's not a problem. We don't even have to say anything about it to anyone…"

"Listen to what you're saying, please," she muttered, flashing him a look as he turned and started walking normal again.

"Hilde…come on, it's just me and you. You know that no one can hear us…so why…"

"Stop patronizing me," she snapped, glaring at him…and falling backward over a rock she hadn't noticed in her last glance back.

"Are you all right?" he asked, all concern. He leaned down to see into her face as she stared at the palms of her hands and the dirt there-on, catching her breath.

"I'm fine," she snapped, casting him another dirty look and scrambling to her feet. "I'm going home."

"Hilde…" he started, taking a step to follow her, taking in her worn jeans and combat boots, then sighing. "Fine, I'll come over in about ten minutes. I ordered some lunch…then we can all head down to the lake, all right?"

Hilde slowed, still rubbing her hands together as she turned to look at him. "That'd be cool," she muttered, not quite meeting his eyes.

He moved across the intervening space and leaned in so they were eye to eye. "I ordered you some lunch, too. I know what you have at home in the cupboards."

She looked away.

"I'll tell everyone to meet us down there in an hour, all right?"

Hilde nodded, starting away again and smiling slightly at her friend. "Thank you, Frankie."

"It's the least I can do," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "It's your letters that keep me sane up there."

She smiled slightly at him.

He chuckled. "That's right, I haven't shown you yet," his face split into a cheesy grin. "I got a picture of my cockpit. I think you'll appreciate it."

Hilde raised an eyebrow at him.

Frankie winked, starting to jog back toward the shack.

A grumble of hunger reminded here that she hadn't eaten since the morning before, and she tried to ignore it again as she had been, thankful that Frankie had bought her something. She knew he'd get her something filling, something she wouldn't be able to finish in one sitting so she'd have food later. He'd probably buy her food before he left as well.

He always got her what she needed…

"Hilde!"

Hilde jumped awake, striking out at Trowa's face before she recognized either his voice or his features.

He was laughing as he caught her wrist, studying her eyes. "Go to bed already," he muttered, letting her go as she sat up slowly, thinking about that dream a long moment before focusing on Trowa again. "How long were you sleeping?"

"You were talking to Duo," she muttered, rubbing her eyes and pointing at the kitchen door, meaning the vid.

"I talked to Duo for three hours," Trowa muttered with a smirk.

Hilde blinked. "You'd just told him about…" she thought of how to phrase it as she rubbed her hands over her face. "Relena…and Fei."

"Shit, that was only the beginning of the conversation."

Hilde grinned at him, propping herself up on her legs as she stared at the table. "Trowa…when you were with the militia, did you ever see the insides of their cockpits?"

"Yeah," he muttered with a frown. "Why?"

"What did they look like?"

Trowa frowned, thinking back and shrugging. "Cockpits."

She gave him a look.

He laughed, shrugging. "I don't know what you're looking for, Hilde…they were normal."

"Pictures?"

He nodded, smirking slightly.

"Come here," she muttered, rising to her feet and starting toward her room. She hadn't thought about Frankie in years…about being young and poor. She'd put that life behind her when she'd joined the military.

"Why?" he slowed outside her bedroom door, giving her a wary look. He was very aware of the fact that other than Duo or Wufei, Hilde only took guys into her room for one reason.

"Oh stop," she muttered, grabbing his wrist and yanking him after her over the threshold.

"You can hardly blame me," he grumped, freeing himself. He took a moment to look over the scattered clothing and feminine articles that littered the room before watching as Hilde pulled a shoe-box from under her bed and toss the lid to the side.

"What is that?"

"My shoe-box," she muttered distantly.

"Yeah…of?"

"Stuff," Hilde muttered, turning to frown at him. "Every chick has a shoe-box of stuff somewhere."

He tilted his head at her.

She brushed that away and pulled out a pile of photos.

"Do I actually want to see these?" he asked her, smirking slightly as he moved next to her to sit on the bed.

She gave him a look, then passed him a photo.

Trowa blinked at her before focusing on it…and staring.

It was obviously the wall of a cockpit. On it were several pictures of Hilde and some guy. In each of the pictures, they were smiling at the camera. There were also many pictures of Hilde by herself.

That in and of itself just made the setting odd. "Why…is there a picture of pictures of you?" he asked, meeting her eyes.

"That was Frankie's cockpit."

Trowa stopped, looking up at her. "Who?"

"Frankie," she replied, shrugging before pointing at the thing. "Is that normal?"

"Most boyfriends have pictures like that, yeah…" Trowa was kind of grinning.

Hilde mouthed the word, looking up to her window and thinking of everything Frankie had done for her before shaking her head. "No, sister. I was like his little sister."

Trowa looked back to the picture, then up to her. "That would just be weird."

Hilde covered her mouth with her hand, tears coming to her eyes as she started to shake her head.

"What's the matter?" he asked quickly, setting the picture on top of the others and rising to his feet, staring at her in confusion a moment before offering his arms uncertainly.

Hilde clung to him, burying her face in his chest, clenching bits of his shirt in her balled fists.

"It's all right…" he muttered, still uncertain. He'd never been overly comfortable with crying women. He had no idea what he should say. He ran a hand over her back to see if she'd protest. When she didn't, he continued, pulling her tighter against himself with the other hand, trying to meet her eyes. "Hilde?"

"He disappeared, Trowa," she muttered, pulling back to meet his eyes. "He was the reason I joined the military…he took care of me…he…" she swallowed thickly, trying to fight her tears as she studied Trowa's face for any expression, any explanation of his thoughts. "He always told me that my letters were what kept him sane. He bought me food every time he came down because…well, just because. He was always willing to do anything for me…"

"What do you mean, disappeared?" he asked blankly, sitting on the bed.

"M.I.A."

Trowa's eyes opened wider.

"They found his machine with a letter to me in it, but no emergency supplies. They thought he may have been one of those hostages, but…" she shrugged, a helpless look on her face.

"Do they…I mean…"

"He has a grave," she muttered quietly.

He let out a breath, dropping back onto the bed. "That's harsh."

"Yeah," she agreed, sitting next to him and putting the picture into the shoe-box, closing it and setting it on the floor. She shoved it wordlessly under the bed before meeting eyes with Trowa. "Is it silly of me…to think that he might really be alive?"

Trowa focused on her, blinking. "That would be awkward, wouldn't it? I mean…with Zechs…and then us five…you're not the same girl you used to be."

She looked at the bed, thinking. "I don't know…it would just…be nice, you know?"

"Yeah," he muttered, sitting up and thinking about it. "Nice and weird."

"Brat," she muttered, flicking him on the leg.

He grinned at her, tilting his head. "When were you last in contact with his family?"

Hilde met his eyes in something like shock, thinking back and shrugging. "I joined, he went M.I.A…they told me about the letter…they had me come to the funeral service…and then…we lost touch."

Trowa frowned, thinking still more, meeting her eyes after a long moment. "I want to know his name," he decided, studying her eyes.

"Franklin Peterson, why?" she asked, frowning again.

He shrugged as he stood, starting for the door. "Because I'm your friend, and he was your friend."

"Trowa…" Hilde started, not sure how to phrase that she didn't want to be alone.

Trowa turned and met her eyes, studying her a long moment before winking. "You'll forgive me if I call my hand over, won't you?"

The serious moment was broken and Hilde broke into giggles, doubling forward to hide her blush.

Trowa grinned, watching this.

She straightened, standing and moving to follow him. "I won't mind if you don't mind."

One eyebrow rose in a wordless question.

"Zechs," she explained.

Trowa made a face.

"I know, he's hot and you can't have him, I'm a selfish bitch…and you'll call over to invite him."

Trowa was still gathering his thoughts around what she was saying, and at that final decision, he turned to face her in mild disbelief.

"Please, Trowa?" she wheedled, grabbing one of his hands in both of hers.

He looked away from her eyes. "Come on, Hilde…"

"Please?"

Trowa sighed, giving up. He knew a lost cause when he came upon one.

She giggled, leaning forward to kiss him on the cheek. "You're the best!"

Trowa couldn't help but smile some at that, shaking his head as he moved into the kitchen, dialing the white-blonde's number.

- -

E/N: Song from the "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack...


	8. Only to be Expected

**Only to be Expected**

"Come on, Wufei!" Heero said mockingly. "Quatre's sisters move faster than that!"

"I heard that!" Sarah Winner said in protest.

Heero laughed, turning to meet her eyes. "I said that you move faster than him, it was a complement…"

"Watch out!" she replied, breaking into giggles as Wufei kicked Heero upside the head, knocking him to his knees and giving him a pointed look when Heero turned to glare at him.

"The Winner prizes, huh?" Wufei muttered with a smirk.

"Chang!" Sarah protested again, placing her hands on her hips.

Heero sniggered, launching himself from the ground into a round-house kick–Wufei only just managed to jump it, but not the next strike. He doubled forward slightly, gasping.

"Yuy, Chang, stop bantering. You're not here for a pleasant conversation!" Une was pacing around the edge of the ring. She had ten fighting pairs situated.

Heero grinned at Wufei, who grinned back. They were here because it was expected of them. They were there because it was a retraining in military obedience. Duo and Quatre were in Italy because it was expected of Quatre. Trowa was working the circus with his sister because it was expected of him…Hilde had gone into space with Relena because it was expected of her.

Heero was starting to wonder if it were really worth the effort anymore.

"And one!" Une's voice snapped Heero from his reverie–everyone fell into stance, lining up. "Two!" some people shook hands, some bowed, a few even nodded. "Three!"

The fighting started again.

"I hate this," Wufei muttered, keeping his strikes short and measured. "She restarts us every time we really start having fun."

Heero grinned slightly, but Une was looking at him so he kept his silence. "She's doing it because of us," he said when she'd looked away, eyeing the woman. "When we start picking at each other and joking, she makes everyone restart."

"It's supposed to be a discipline," Sarah muttered quietly. She wasn't the youngest female of the Winner flock, she was the second youngest. She'd joined the military as soon as she'd turned eighteen. At twenty, she was a well-respected member of the Preventers.

Wufei stopped to look at her in mild disbelief.

"Don't pull that guff with me, Chang," she muttered at him, continuing to fight her partner. "I don't let Q get away with it either."

Wufei grinned, mirroring her strikes.

Heero smirked, mirroring the guy–and blocking the extra strikes Wufei put in. The guy was watching this from the corner of his eye.

"Ready?" Wufei asked, flashing a glance to Heero.

"As soon as you are," Heero returned.

"Now!" Wufei moved smoothly from in front of Heero, blocking Sarah's next strike as Heero turned and attacked her partner.

"Yuy! Chang!" Sarah protested loudly.

"Winner, what is your problem!" Une shouted in extreme irritation.

Heero and Wufei had moved the line so completely, however, that Une didn't realize the issue, turning her back on them.

Wufei sniggered, shoving Sarah's actual partner at her and taking the spot Heero had been in.

Sarah was trying not to giggle.

Une turned back to glare at her and Sarah shrugged. Une turned again, and Heero took his chance. He and Wufei had switched back to position as Une realized something was wrong and turned to look at them.

Sarah was starting to giggle and had stopped blocking, though her partner was only moving to keep them out of trouble.

Une stared hard at Heero and Wufei, studying their faces a long moment.

"At least we can give her grief," Wufei muttered with a sigh, tossing an extra punch in.

- -

"I can make you cry," Sarah muttered darkly in Heero's ear, shoving him against the wall with her fingertips. "Just mess with me, boy,"

Heero started laughing, moving forward and turning so she was backed against the bar, which was right next to the wall. "Make me cry then, Winner. I think you're too much like your brother to do anything but turn me on,"

Sarah blushed scarlet.

Wufei sniggered, stirring his drink. The bartender set a shot-glass next to his hand and wandered off up the bar. Wufei took that shot as Sarah turned to look at him, frowning.

"You're not legal here, either," Heero muttered in her ear, running a hand down her hip.

"Yuy," she squeaked, staring at him in dismay.

Heero ran his hand further down her thigh, studying her eyes. He knew he was about to get punched, but to see the look of shock and dismay in her eyes…it was worth it. He ducked her blow, starting to laugh as he dodged away from her, laughing delightedly.

"We always wondered how you two got into brawls," she muttered, catching her breath as she stared between them.

"What are you talking about?" Heero asked sweetly, moving up to the bar and knocking twice. "We don't start the brawls," the bartender sat another shot glass next to Heero's hand and disappeared again.

Sarah had to giggle, crossing behind Wufei to gather up her drink, lifting it slowly.

Heero placed his hand over it before she could take a drink. "You weren't watching that," he muttered, narrowing his eyes at her. "You aren't seriously going to drink it now?"

She stared at him in something like dismay.

He took the glass from her and set it on the inner counter, knocking twice again as the bartender looked at them. "A drink for the lady," he muttered.

"Are you paying for it?" the bartender demanded.

"I am."

"You gonna fuck her?"

"I highly doubt it."

"So why are you buying for her?"

"So she'll blow me when she's drunk."

Wufei and the bartender started laughing, the man placing a cup of something blue in front of her. "Drink up, pretty-lady."

Sarah gave him a look, then focused on Heero with narrowed eyes–she did, however, drink half the concoction in one pull.

The bartender was laughing evilly as he wandered off.

- -

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" the chant was echoing around the bar as Heero and Wufei faced off with four soldiers also from the base. One of them had hit on Sarah, and then not left her alone. In the end, she'd come up behind Heero and ran a hand around his waist, muttering in his ears that she'd do anything for him if he'd get the jackass off her tail.

The bartender had an exasperated expression on his face as he tapped his nails on the bar. No one was ordering, because everyone was focusing on the Gundam pilots.

One of the soldiers flicked a hand at Heero, coming extremely close to hitting Heero in the face. Heero didn't flinch, he just raised his eyebrows briefly.

"Let's just go," Sarah muttered, tugging at Wufei's arm. "I don't want a fight."

"We do," Wufei informed her quietly, glancing at her. "You see, we don't start the brawls," he grinned at her.

"No, Chang…just, come on…" she tugged at him again.

"Listen to your girlfriend, why don't you?" the guy who'd been bothering her muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Or is she _your_ girlfriend?" he indicated Heero.

Both snorted.

"She doesn't want you to get hurt," he added.

"Hardly," she replied. "As ironic as it is, I don't want _you_ to get hurt."

He gave her a superior look.

"I get so tired of dealing with punks," Wufei muttered conversationally to Heero. "They're all the same. As soon as they realize a lady is out of their class, they get all snooty, as if they're out of _her_ class. Not that I know a lady that's low enough for _any_ of them…"

"I know what you mean," Heero returned. "It gets old real fast, though."

"Oh, as if the two of you are better than us…" the one muttered.

"Chang, Yuy!" Sarah snapped.

Both turned to give her a level look–though the names had did what they were supposed to. The men were looking much less sure of themselves.

"I will report this fight to Une if you don't come with me now."

Wufei and Heero smirked at each other.

- -

"Inconsiderate!" Une shouted at the two seventeen year olds. "Irresponsible! You two are supposed to set an example for the other soldiers, not kick their ass! I don't care what Winner has said to you…"

"She's the one who told us to make the guy leave her alone," Heero protested, sitting up some.

"I meant Quatre!" Une nearly shrieked. "His sister is capable of taking care of herself!"

"She asked for my help!" Heero snarled.

"You weren't even supposed to be in the bar!" Une continued, changing tact before she could back herself into a corner. "You're not legally old enough to drink!"

"And Sarah is," Heero muttered to Wufei, his tone informative and conversational.

Wufei nodded his agreement.

"Would you just shut-up!" Une shouted.

"Would _you_ just shut-up?" Heero returned, rising to his feet. "We didn't kill the guy, nor wound him seriously."

"He's in the hospital wing!" her voice had risen a further few notches.

"He did _this_ to me!" Heero protested, showing her his wrapped arm. The guy had resorted to breaking a glass bottle. This had sliced Heero's forearm for more than six inches. The wound probably needed stitches, but it wasn't bleeding so he wasn't complaining.

"What is that?" she snapped. The wrap covered nearly his entire forearm.

"A scratch," Heero returned, realizing that the particular approach would just change her so she forced him to get the stitches.

"Let me see it," she demanded, extending a hand as if waiting for something to be passed for her.

"I told you it was just a scratch," he muttered, turning away from her, moving to sit in his seat again.

"Let me see it," she repeated.

"I said…"

"Yuy!"

"No!"

"Heero!"

Heero gave her a dark look, but she crossed the room instead and yanked his arm up, untying the knot Wufei had put in it.

"Une, I told you…"

"You don't fool me, Yuy," she returned. "You wouldn't have dismissed it if it were just a scratch…"

"Or he's picking up on the fine art of lying," Wufei muttered. He had his head propped against one hand, the elbow resting on the edge of the chair. Other than the split lip he was sporting, he looked extremely bored.

Une gave Wufei a withering look.

"I said it was just a…" Heero started again, trying to remove his arm without seeming too forceful.

The bandage finally fell free and Une jerked his wrist–causing him to flinch, and stared at the thing.

The room fell oddly silent for a long moment…

And Une exploded.

Wufei was chuckling as Quatre raised an eyebrow at him. "We saw Sarah in the bar last night," he explained, having already commented on how Heero was waiting at the hospital.

"What?" Quatre demanded, looking outraged.

Wufei brushed that off. "Some guy was following her around and trying to force himself on her."

"_What?_" Quatre said again, his voice rising…in the background, Duo had stopped playing whatever game he'd been and was focusing on the screen in dismay.

"She came up to Heero," Wufei added, smirking at Duo, "and wrapped an arm around his waist…she was completely pressed against him…he was really turned on,"

Duo's expression darkened.

Wufei met Quatre's eyes. "So he decided he'd fight for her."

Quatre was fuming, his eyes distant.

"So we kicked some ass…but the numb-nut used a broken bottle on Heero…"

"What?" Duo snapped, throwing the controller down and crossing the room to stand behind Wufei. "Is he all right?"

"He's fine now, Maxwell," Wufei muttered, smirking again. "It just needed stitches."

"Why didn't you do them?" Quatre asked blankly.

"Because our room has been semi-stripped. Une had them take out the emergency care shit that we could use to doctor ourselves because we've done that before. It really annoys her. She thinks we'll end up doing something wrong, I think."

"Is Sarah all right?"

"She's fine. She was at formation this morning. She didn't even get touched. Her voice is a little horse…compliments of Heero."

Both Quatre and Duo blanched at that, but Wufei continued on as if he hadn't just made a very suggestive comment.

"She's a bit sore today, though."

Quatre was drawing himself up.

"She really shouldn't have pushed him down," Wufei added as if thinking about it. "If she hadn't, none of the rest would have happened."

"I…" Quatre started.

"She's good at it, though," Wufei added to Quatre, meeting his eyes again. "She really got into it, too…"

Duo's eyes were beginning to register the fact that their friend did not mean the pair had fucked, though Quatre was being a bit slow on the uptake.

"She even let me watch," Wufei added.

Duo sniggered.

"That is completely _inappropriate!_" Quatre shouted.

Wufei and Duo broke into laughter.

"This isn't funny!" Quatre snapped, turning to stare at Duo in confusion. "He's saying…"

"That Heero and Sarah went at it last night,"

"I know!"

"No, Quatre…they…" Wufei was almost laughing too hard to talk. "Shit, Quatre, they fought. She started yelling…yelling at Heero, and then she shoved him down…"

Duo disappeared off screen and his laughter shortly became muffled.

"That's not funny, Wufei!" Quatre said in complete dismay. "You know…"

"That you've been getting your brains fucked out for the last however long, and that your assumption would be sex, yeah, I knew…" he was trying to stop laughing.

Quatre started pouting.

"Sarah is fine, though," Wufei muttered, resting his hand on the switch. "She's out training or I'd have her talk to you."

Quatre gave him a look, focusing in the direction Duo had disappeared in.

"I've got to go…Une's been on my ass all day, so I have to follow the rules. It's almost time for mess."

"Fine," Quatre pouted. "Give Sarah my love."

"All right," Wufei smiled at Quatre. "I'm sorry, Quatre…I was just playing."

"Yeah, yeah…" Quatre brushed it off.

"Bye," Wufei didn't wait for a reply before disconnecting.

- -

Heero sighed in exasperation, flipping through the old newspaper. He'd found it folded up under a few magazines. It was the article announcing the end of the war. He had nothing more to do than wait for the nurse to come out and call him, so he'd been reading that.

"Teen gorilla warriors are being hailed today as heroes. The five Gundam Pilots were on the scene for the final–and most devastating–battle, their mecha stopping any and all the mobile dolls. In the end, it was the pilot of the mecha called "Zero" that blasted the space ship Libra from the sky. The thousands of sparks that appeared like shooting stars were the remnants of the craft, and if the thing had been allowed to hit the Earth un-impeded, it would have caused a never-ending winter…"

"Yuy?"

Heero jumped, looking up to the woman who was studying him curiously. "Yes?"

"Follow me, please."

Heero did as he was told while the woman sewed him up, leaving promptly. He had never before read the article. When it had come out, he'd avoided it, knowing he'd been mentioned.

He decided against stealing it as he paused in the door to the hospital wing, focusing on the fragile looking paper from the corner of his eye.

He'd never read it, and he never would. He'd read the next press release that said a war had ended, he didn't need to read the one from years passed when another war had followed right on it's heels. It was, after all, just an old newspaper.

- -

"I wish you could have seen his face, though," Wufei muttered to Heero, picking at his food. "It was fun."

Heero shook his head. Wufei had been bursting with amusement over his story until he realized that Heero wasn't laughing. He'd mellowed out as he ate, and was now trying to salvage something of his joke.

"What's wrong with you? You seem depressed," Wufei met his eyes a moment before starting to pick at his food again.

"You know that article…the one announcing the end of the first war?"

"Yeah, I know the one."

"I read part of it today."

Wufei stopped picking at his food and met Heero's eyes, slightly concerned. "Why?"

"It was there," Heero dismissed this. "I've just been thinking about it now, though…that was published, and almost exactly a year later, there's another war…"

"Well, Marimea…"

Heero turned sharply to study Wufei's face. Wufei was the only person he knew who'd call the girl by her first name…though it was only to be expected.

That thought–the thought of what was now expected of them, entered his mind again. He could hear Une telling him that he was supposed to set a good example for the other pilots…he could hear the principal lecturing Wufei…

Always, what was expected of them. They never seemed to do more, and could never manage to do less…

Wufei shook his head.

Heero realized suddenly that Wufei hadn't done what was expected of him–that war. He grinned slowly, deciding he had to do something unexpected…not yet sure what that would be…

"What?" Wufei demanded suspiciously, not liking the look he was being given.

"Tell me your story again, Fei…I wasn't listening the first time."

Wufei snorted. "Yeah, I know…"

Heero laughed. "Okay, so let's do this again."

Wufei snorted again, then launched into his story.


	9. Clumsy

**Clumsy**

Trowa groaned as he rolled onto his stomach and stared at the vid as it beeped pointedly at him. The screen displayed some city and country name with a number…with an unfamiliar area code. He decided he didn't want to bother, he knew that it would be one of the guys or Hilde, and he could call them back at any given time. He didn't have the will to move.

Besides, he was feeling sick to his stomach from the vodka he'd stolen.

Trowa stared vaguely at the screen as Duo appeared, his hair disheveled.

"Hey, Tro, I know you're still at the house, so hit the damn button. I know I did not wake you up too early, it's already ten," Duo stared into the camera, giving Trowa the eerie feeling that Duo was actually looking at him. "I know you don't do good by yourself, boy, answer the damn phone!"

Trowa nearly hopped up at the command, but hesitated as Quatre wandered into the background.

"What's up?" he asked, kissing Duo's cheek affectionately. The blond was wearing "casual" wear. Khaki pants with some shirt that probably cost more than Heero's junk-car.

"I'm trying to make sure Trowa is all right," Duo muttered, looking to the other. "Hilde left him yesterday around noon, so he had plenty of time to brood before going to bed. I'm hoping he didn't get into Heero's alcohol."

Trowa muttered darkly that if he did, it wasn't any of the American's business anyway. He pushed himself off the bed, stumbling across the room to hit the button and glare at the American.

"Good, I knew you were watching," Duo smirked at Trowa. "And I figured you'd have gotten drunk."

"I've got to go, Love," Quatre muttered pointedly to Duo.

Duo smiled at Trowa before kissing Quatre. "I'll see you later, love you."

"I love you too."

Trowa watched as Quatre disappeared from the room before focusing on Duo.

"What?" Duo asked blankly, giving Trowa a confused look.

"You never told me that you loved me," Trowa breathed before he could stop himself.

Duo feigned a look of surprise, knowing that he had to step carefully now. "I didn't?"

Trowa laughed weakly. "But then again, there wasn't a week that went by that you hadn't fucked someone else."

Duo froze. "Trowa…"

"I need to pack," Trowa spat at the American, turning his back to the vid and moving to his closet.

"Trowa, come back here," Duo admonished, studying the edges of his screen. "Come on, you can't keep doing this!"

"Doing what?" Trowa returned harshly. "Comparing our relationship to yours and Quatre's?"

Duo sighed heavily, resting his elbows on the desk and covering his face with his hands so completely that Trowa couldn't see his face.

Trowa smiled a pleased and disgusted smile, knowing that Duo was showing remorse for what he'd done.

"I'm am so sorry," Duo said thickly, still not looking up. "I know that doesn't make this better…"

"You're a broken record," Trowa informed him. "You say the same things over and over again…and it just gets old."

Duo exhaled a shaky breath–and sobbed.

Trowa turned sharply to look at the guy, staring at him for a long moment before moving back into the sight of the screen. "Duo?"

Duo shook his head, his face turned from the screen as he started to reach for the button.

"Duo, don't!" Trowa said quickly, moving back up to stand directly in front of the screen.

Duo hesitated.

"Listen…I'm sorry, okay? I understand."

Duo sat back in his seat.

"I just…I'm home alone, you know how I am when I'm home alone. I'm sorry, okay?"

Duo nodded slowly, raising his eyes almost to screen level.

"Duo?" Trowa pressed, raising a hand to the screen, resting the tips on the edge. "I'm serious, Duo, will you look at me, please?"

Duo finally raised his eyes to the screen.

Trowa took the initiative and looked into the camera. "I just…the stuff that you did with Heero…"

"We kissed, once, that's all."

"That's all it takes!" Trowa snapped back. "It's always a thing of the moment with you! You never think who you'll hurt with your actions! And then with Hilde!"

Duo swallowed thickly, turning his back to the screen.

"I'm not even there with you now!" Trowa went on. "I can't even say what you've done during these days when Quatre's not there! You were already complaining to me about not being satisfied!"

"I'm _**not**_…" Duo's voice was harsh, shouted, as he turned back to the camera and swallowed again. "I'm not doing that anymore, Trowa! I love Quatre and don't want to hurt him…I love him. Do you understand that? Can you even comprehend…"

Duo's words, however, had the adverse effect to his intent.

Trowa was staring pointedly at the far corner of his bedroom, wanting very much to hang up. "And what about me? You never did tell me you loved me before…" he swallowed. "You didn't, did you?"

Duo stared at his friend for a long moment in silence.

"I do love you," Duo said finally, his tone quiet and calm. "I've always loved you."

Trowa turned back to the screen.

"I love you in a way that I could never love anyone else. It's more than that…but we don't work together. You let me get away with too much, and I take advantage of your love. I can't help that I do this…and I guess it's your fault."

Trowa straightened, stepping back from the screen.

"If you'd just stayed mad at me when it all started…if you'd made me work to get you back…then maybe I would have respected you…"

"_Fuck you!_" Trowa snapped, his own throat tight, he couldn't believe Duo had the balls to say that to him! He could not believe that Duo was still so utterly unaware of the fact that Trowa still loved him and would give anything to be back at his side. He didn't understand how Duo could just…accuse him… "Fuck you to _hell!_ I hope you burn!"

Duo had caught his breath, his eyes going wide. He ran a hand through his hair instead of speaking for a moment, then looked into the camera. "Trowa?"

Trowa was fuming as he stared into Duo's eyes. "What?" he demanded coldly.

"Are you over me?"

Trowa swallowed, shifting his weight uncomfortably looking to the far corner of the room. "Of course I'm not," he muttered. "You were the best I ever had…you have something I need."

Duo didn't say anything for a long moment, studying his screen.

"When we get to Spain," Duo muttered finally, looking into his camera, "we need to talk."

"Talks with you end up hurting me," Trowa returned distantly, his hand moving over the connection button. "Talks with you never go the easy way."

"Nothing worth having comes easily," Duo returned.

Trowa raised his eyes in amazement to study Duo's face on the screen.

Duo disconnected.

Trowa stepped back from the screen, swallowing thickly before turning and stumbling to his bed. His mind wasn't wrapping around what Duo had just said. Duo could not have just implied that he still wanted a relationship with him…not with how loyal he seemed to Quatre, not with how sincere he was about loving the other teen.

Trowa closed his eyes, dropping back onto his bed.

"If…" he muttered quietly into the utter stillness of a house that was never supposed to rest.

He decided he didn't want to finish that thought.


	10. Chance and Circumstance

**Chance and Circumstance**

Quatre laughed happily as he stumbled from the plane into Trowa's arms, hugging him before moving aside and yawning loudly. "I can't believe how long I just _slept!_" he informed Duo and Trowa as they also hugged, exchanging a long look. "I like…crashed…what, five minutes after we took off?" he appealed to Duo for this.

"More like twenty," Duo corrected, moving to wrap his arms around the blonde's waist as he stood behind him.

Quatre sighed happily, leaning back against Duo and closing his eyes. "I could sleep again…if you wanted to go…" Quatre left that hanging.

Duo smirked.

"I think not," Trowa said darkly, glaring at them. "You can sleep when you get home, right? And you can fuck when you've been here for more than five minutes."

Quatre's eyes snapped open and he blushed as he looked at Trowa.

Duo laughed as well, studying Trowa. "I think that was an open invitation for you as well."

"Duo!" Quatre was completely disbelieving and aghast as he pulled away from his lover to stare at him in utter amazement, glancing to Trowa to see how he responded and blushing even more when the guy didn't seem the slightest bit perturbed.

Duo started laughing. "I'm just kiddin', love, let's go…" he gestured for both of them to follow him, wrapping an arm around Quatre's shoulders as the smaller teen joined him.

"Coulda fooled me," Trowa muttered, not sure if he liked that he was pleased.

Duo winked at him.

- -

"So…what did you want to talk about?" Trowa asked Duo quietly as they moved silently into his dressing room. Quatre was showing Relena and Hilde what he'd got them in Venice, so Trowa figured this would be the best of times to talk to Duo. He leaned against the wall just inside the room, ducking his head slightly as he looked up at Duo.

Duo shut the door and moved to stand in front of him, bracing himself against one hand beside Trowa's head. "I think you know," Duo muttered, moving like he'd nuzzle Trowa's ear.

Trowa caught his breath, then smacked Duo in the stomach when he realized he wasn't actually intending to do it. "Oh really?" he snapped.

"Really," Duo agreed, moving like he'd kiss Trowa.

Again, Trowa paused before smacking Duo again. "Would you _quit_ it?" he demanded.

"But it's…" Duo brushed his lips lightly, "so very…amusing."

Trowa's irritation got the better of him and he shoved Duo hard so he stumbled backwards and tripped over the coffee table, laughing his ass off and cracking his head against an armchair.

"Ouch," he muttered, still laughing and not making any attempt to rise to his feet.

Trowa hesitated a moment before letting his guilt take over and moving quickly to Duo's side. "I'm sorry!" he muttered. "I didn't realize you wouldn't catch yourself."

"We're only in cramped corridors with no where for me to get my footing," Duo agreed, rubbing his head where he'd hit the chair, studying Trowa with a slight pout.

Trowa chuckled slightly, tilting Duo's head to study where he'd hit with his eyes and fingers. "You're fine," he muttered, sitting back with a slight sigh of relief before remembering why he'd knocked his friend over to begin with and hitting him in the stomach again.

Duo grunted in pain, laughing weakly. "Shit…" he muttered. "I'd forgotten how violent you are."

"And you only know the half of it," Trowa smacked him upside the head as he rose to his feet.

"Don't make me hurt you," Duo threatened, looking around to see what was where.

Trowa laughed evilly, stopping in the door to the room to study Duo. "Is that a threat, or a promise?"

Duo blinked at him.

"Because either way," Trowa added, grinning, "I like the sound of it." He disappeared.

Duo stared.

"Let's go, Duo," Trowa shouted. "We have to get the girls and your lover. Heero and Wufei will show up within the next fifteen minutes!"

Duo scrambled to his feet, wincing as his head and leg protested at the movements.

Sometimes he really did not get his ex.

- -

Heero watched Duo moving around the room in amusement. Duo had a slight limp, and Trowa had let them all know that Duo had annoyed him, so he'd knocked him over. Duo had not contested this story, so Heero allowed himself to revel in Duo's apparent defeat.

Wufei, on the other hand, was snuggled up with Relena on a couch. Neither of the pair seemed to think anything else existed as they talked to each other quietly, smiling often.

Hilde was running her mouth to Heero, who was making occasional listening noises and nodding when she paused in any given line. He knew the basic gist over her conversation, so he felt pretty sure he'd be able to get away with it if he were questioned–of course, he also knew he could take the "guy" out, as Duo often called it. He could just point out to her that her shopping trip hadn't exactly riveted his attention, so maybe she should have made her point another way.

"So anyway, the guy flipped me off and muttered something about a 'puta' before storming away," Hilde continued. "I was going to kick his ass, but Relena told me I shouldn't…I don't even really know what the word means. I've heard it used before, but…"

Heero's attention had been attracted back to her and he shrugged. "Whore."

"Really?" Hilde demanded as if this were the most offensive thing she'd ever heard. "I _knew_ I shoulda kicked his ass! Relena, why didn't you let me kick his ass? He called me a whore!"

Relena gave her a look. "That's not the way to handle such things."

Hilde snorted. "What? You want me to get a champion?" she demanded, flicking Heero's hair with her fingers. "I'd rather do it myself."

"Well, Heero or I could really do a number on some guy," Wufei muttered, grinning at Heero. "So…"

"That's true…" Hilde muttered. "But still…"

Wufei shrugged and focused on Relena again.

"So anyway," Hilde focused on Heero. "She dragged me into some sissy lingerie shop…"

"Really?" Wufei wasn't the only one whose attention was now on Hilde.

Hilde grinned at him, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. "Yes, really," she focused on Heero. "But it was all modest stuff, you know?" she muttered, raising one hand to indicate a high neckline. "Lace, frills, and lots of cloth."

"I'm not going to buy a _teddy_, Hilde," Relena said as if offended.

Wufei gave Heero a slight grin, but both knew better than commenting.

"Why not?" Duo asked curiously, evidently not knowing better. "You'd look good in one…slightly modest, you know? Just enough skin to fuel the imagination with just enough dignity to match your elegance."

Relena blushed at that, flattered and embarrassed.

"He's got a point," Wufei muttered.

"I _know_ you're not talking about my _sister_ in a teddy," Zechs snapped in slight amusement, appearing with Quatre and drinks.

"No, we're talking about Hilde in one," Heero lied easily as both Duo and Wufei froze.

"Dignity and elegance?" Zechs demanded. "Please."

"Fuck you!" Hilde snapped at him, rising to her feet to stare at him in hurt and amazed disbelief.

Zechs froze as well.

"He didn't mean it like that," Heero muttered, not sure why he was sticking up for the guy. He kinda felt bad for him, knowing that this kind of stupid comment was one he would make when not thinking about it. "For you it's more…sexuality and sass."

Hilde faltered, glancing at Heero.

"I can see you in black and red," Duo added.

"But you _won't_ be seeing her in black and red, will you?" Quatre muttered, setting the sodas he was holding on a table. "You don't actually _want_ to, do you?"

Duo considered this a moment, winking at Hilde. "Yes and no."

Quatre laughed, focusing on her and looking her over. "I think I know what you mean."

"Quatre!" Hilde gasped in amazement.

Heero laughed, reaching forward and pulling Hilde toward him by her wrist. "So what did you do? You went to a modest lingerie shop…" he prompted.

Hilde glanced back at the couple before looking to Zechs and Relena before sitting and facing Heero again, thinking a moment. "Well…she tried to buy this really cute pair of underwear, but they were…too girly, you know? Like, something a freshman would wear at the beginning of the year. So I dragged her with me to a _real_ lingerie shop."

"Bira's," Relena said, blushing some more and meeting Wufei's eyes.

Hilde's laughter was slightly evil. "We had fun in there," she agreed, looking back to Heero. "That guy kept showing up though, and he'd glare at me…"

"What guy?" Zechs asked, moving to stand next to Heero.

"The one who flipped me off," she explained.

Zechs snorted. "I kicked that pansy's ass," he informed Heero. "I couldn't believe he'd gotten so pissed over a fricken ring."

"You did _what?_" Relena demanded, focusing on her brother.

Hilde also had a considerate and startled look on her face.

"He was being a bastard to both of you," Zechs defended himself. "I couldn't just let him walk off when he was being a prick to not only my sister, but my girlfriend…"

Relena sat back slightly, studying Zechs. "And what of Noin?"

Zechs blanched.

"You know what, Zechs," Heero muttered helpfully, "I think you should just go lay down…go find a quiet place to seclude yourself until you get your foot out of your mouth."

Zechs flashed him a grin before looking back to Relena. "What about her?"

"You never used to call Hilde your girlfriend. You always used to call Noin your girlfriend," Relena explained. "So I want to know if you're finally going to _leave_ her."

Zechs blinked, then looked back to Heero. "I'm going to take you up on that offer, you got my back?"

"As long as you have mine when I need it."

"It's a deal," Zechs shook Heero's hand before starting for the door.

"Zechs!" Relena protested, nearly jumping from her seat.

"Relena," Heero muttered, gaining her attention instantly, "did Wufei give you his present yet?"

"Oh, shit!" Wufei muttered, sitting up slightly to dig into his pocket as Relena focused on him in disbelief.

"You're a god, Heero," Zechs muttered, grabbing a soda and stating for the door.

Heero laughed. "I know."

- -

Duo sighed as he sat heavily beside the tent, rolling onto his side to stare up at the sky full of stars.

That was one thing he truly loved about the isolated spots of earth. There were stars galore. It might be a long drive to get _out_ to the circus to begin with, but it was worth staying the night just to see the sky.

"Duo?"

Duo focused on Trowa, who was wiping the small black teardrop off his cheek.

"Oh, hey, Tro…there's something I've been meaning to tell you," Duo muttered, grinning slightly.

"What's that?" Trowa asked, sitting next to him.

"Spandex?" he muttered, indicating Trowa's costume. "They aren't your thing…Heero only _just_ managed to pull them off, and…well, you just don't got it."

Trowa laughed, smacking him in the arm…and pulling them down.

Duo watched him in shock as he kicked them off–he'd wiped the paint off his face with a pair of boxers.

"Quatre would get upset with you," Trowa muttered in sing-song, pulling the boxers up and meeting Duo's eyes.

"That was _not_ my fault," Duo returned.

Trowa laughed, sitting next to Duo and kicking at the suit. "I only have to wear that when we do that bit about the chick dropping out of her window."

"That was you?" Duo was startled.

Trowa snorted. "There's no way in hell they'd trust anyone else to catch her. She was dropped before."

Duo shook his head in disbelief.

"You said we should talk when we got here," Trowa added, meeting his eyes. "You've been dodging me all week. We've got three more days here before we move on, and I don't think there will be anywhere else we'll be able to get time by ourselves."

Duo nodded slowly, looking to his lap. "I don't know if we _should_ talk about it," he muttered.

"I think we should," Trowa replied, laying a hand on Duo's thigh, "because it will bother me if you just drop it."

Duo met his eyes, staring into them a long moment.

Trowa swallowed, leaning forward slowly–slowly enough that Duo would not misunderstand his intent…and kissed him.

Duo kissed him slowly, pulling away slightly. "We really…should talk about this…in a room."

"Let's go," Trowa whispered, rolling off him and pulling him to his feet, gathering up his suit. "My room will be free and no one will miss us for an hour or so."

Duo paused a moment–until Trowa kissed him again. "Duo?"

Duo caught his breath, studying Trowa's eyes a moment before smiling and kissing him back. "Lead on."

_I'm going to burn in hell. That's where sinners go…I just hope they don't make me too crispy._

- -

Duo studied Quatre a long moment, looking away when Quatre glanced at him. Quatre smiled more, turning back to talk to Heero again. Wufei followed Duo's gaze to Trowa, who was sitting happily and quietly in the corner, playing a game of solitaire. He'd showered and kept brushing his wet hair back behind his ear–or trying to. It wasn't quite long enough to do so. He seemed very content…smug.

Wufei looked back to Duo, noticing another hickey on Duo's neck and looking slowly back to Trowa as he realized something.

Trowa had hickies on both sides of his throat as well.

"Duo?" Wufei said, sitting forward slightly.

Everyone looked at him.

"Yeah?" Duo asked, blinking.

"Where'd you…that, huh…" he indicated the hickey that hadn't been there earlier in the evening.

Duo touched it, staring at Wufei in disbelief as Trowa sat up straighter.

Quatre spluttered slightly, almost giggling. "Where do you _think?_" he demanded.

Wufei focused on Quatre. "He didn't have that earlier."

"It's good to know that you notice the small details," Heero informed him, smirking slightly.

"Fuck you," Wufei informed him calmly, looking up to meet Duo's eyes.

Duo narrowed his almost dangerously. "Where _do_ you think I got it, Wufei?"

"I'm not sure, but I could have sworn you and Quatre hadn't disappeared."

Duo looked slowly to Trowa and met Wufei's eyes again. "Who else would have given it to me?"

Wufei glanced at Trowa, who'd dropped his chin slightly. "I haven't the foggiest," Wufei replied insincerely.

"We did ditch out of the show for a few minutes when Trowa was off-stage," Quatre informed Wufei with a slight grin. "We didn't really _want_ you to notice."

"I see," Wufei conceded, looking from Quatre back up to Duo. "Forgive my error."

- -

Wufei looked the club over quietly as he moved across the room. He was meeting Duo in Fade, an alcohol free dance club. The music was pounding and the floor of the club seemed to be moving. It was more than the strobe lights flashing in unison with the throbbing noise, it was the people. The club was packed. Wall to wall people, in fact, Wufei wouldn't have gotten in if it hadn't been for the fact that his name was on the guest list.

Duo had been very suggestive with Wufei after the discussion of the hickey. He'd also been slightly neurotic. He'd eventually finagled it so he got sent ahead a few days earlier than the rest to make sure their reservations were still seen to.

Wufei had his own thoughts on the _why_ of it all. He'd watched Trowa change from tense to laid-back in the matter of an hour. Wufei knew Duo too well to think that his spending time with Duo would make Tro fell _better_.

"Chang!"

Wufei turned sharply at Duo's voice, but didn't see his friend.

"Chang!" this time it came from the opposite direction.

Wufei focused more closely than he had, searching the people around him.

"Wufei," this time it was whispered in his ear.

"Shit!" Wufei sputtered, turning again to face Duo, who was right in his face. "Jesus, Duo…"

Duo laughed evilly, ducking in.

Wufei froze, staring at Duo's mouth–he just knew Duo was about to kiss…

"How was your trip?" Duo asked in his ear instead, grinning still more.

"It was…I…what?"

Duo started laughing, keeping the distance between them the same. "How was your trip?" his lips brushed Wufei's lightly. "Are you…tired?" he studied Wufei's eyes carefully. He hadn't intended to imply anything when he first saw his friend, but Wufei had responded as such, and watching him fumble through the sexual haze and confusion was more amusing than it probably should have been. There was no way in hell Quatre would accept the game, but Duo just couldn't make himself care.

Wufei mumbled incoherently, staring into Duo's eyes. He was disturbed, because he wanted Duo to kiss him, he wanted to feel Duo's hands…

"Wufei?" Duo still hadn't moved back, but he knew he really needed to stop, because Wufei was likely to kick his ass when he realized what was going on.

Wufei took a deep, shaky breath, resting his weight against Duo and looking down. "Yeah?"

Duo couldn't resist running a hand down Wufei's side as he studied his eyes. "Are you tired?" Duo bit his tongue sharply, that wasn't what he'd intended to say.

"A little," Wufei muttered, still not meeting his eyes. "I haven't gotten a room yet…"

Duo's heart started beating double-speed at the nearly blatant offer of sex. He didn't know what Wufei was thinking, he didn't know if Wufei even realized what was going on–or what those simple words implied.

Not to mention the ramifications on his and Quatre's relationship.

"You can share mine," he breathed, feeling his throat constrict. "The bed isn't very big," he added, knowing that Wufei should have some idea of what might go on–that he needed to bring Wufei's awareness up to speed with his actions.

Wufei swallowed. "That shouldn't be…a problem," he muttered, his breathing starting again.

"All right," Duo muttered, still not sure what he was going to do about this. "Let's go."

Wufei didn't move, meeting Duo's eyes again. He was in a haze, still confused…he did, however, know that he wanted to feel Duo's lips on him. He didn't know what to say or do, he just stared into Duo's eyes.

Duo froze for a moment, but Wufei's fingers had dug into his arms. He kissed Wufei softly–as Wufei pressed his body against Duo's.

Wufei, who'd had sex only a handful of times, was diving further into the confusing haze of lust. His kisses were uncertain for only moments before becoming hungry, starving. Duo, who very well knew exactly what was going on really wanted to stop, but there was something about Wufei that…

"Get a room," someone muttered behind them in irritation.

Duo turned and gave the guy a very level look as Wufei blinked, startled. The guy receded, then disappeared.

"Come on," Duo whispered, grabbing Wufei's hand and pulling him toward the exit.

Wufei followed willfully, pausing to pull off his wife-beater as Duo hailed a taxi. He was hot, he wasn't sure why he was so hot…he tucked one end into his pants-pocket as Duo slid into the cab, following him and sitting as close to him as he could manage in the car.

"Where to?" the driver asked, not even giving them a second glance.

"Paradise motel," Duo replied, sighing and sitting back in his seat, dropping his head back to stare at the ceiling.

Wufei watched his face a long moment before running a hand down his abdomen. He hadn't realized that Duo was also wearing a wife-beater, and the fit was tight. His hard-packed abs were firm under Wufei's fingers.

Duo blinked at him, looking startled.

Wufei smiled, throwing a leg over his companion and moving to straddle him, leaning in to kiss his throat softly. He had no idea what he was doing, not really. He just _wanted_ Duo, and until Duo told him he was doing something wrong, he would…just…let it all go.

Duo let out a shaky breath, tilting his head to one side as he ran his hands down Wufei's arms and onto his sides. He let his friend continue the treatment for a moment before catching Wufei's lips, moving along his jaw line and down onto his throat.

The driver sighed, tilting his mirror slightly…and hit the gas.

- -

Wufei sighed in contentment, reveling in the warm arms around him. He could tell it was probably four in the morning.

He opened his eyes, staring into the darkness of the room.

Where was he?

Who the fuck was holding him?

What the fuck was going on…

He sat up, looking around the darkened room slowly, placing the smell.

Duo.

His mind cleared in an instant as he realized what he'd just…

He turned to look at Duo, who was blinking drowsily at him. "Wha's wrong?"

"Holy shit!" Wufei fell out of the bed before his feet could move, realizing he was completely naked–and further, that Duo was as well.

Duo'd sat up slightly to watch him in confusion as the blankets followed Wufei to the floor, then dropped back onto the mattress, laughing weakly.

"Duo…what the fuck…why…I…where…" he fumbled a moment longer as his memory revisited the pleasure from hours earlier. Wufei brushed his hair back slightly, blinking up at the bed as he resituated the blankets.

"Two things," Duo muttered, not looking at him. "I've seen you from head to foot…" he chuckled slightly, "very nice package, that…"

Wufei felt himself blush.

"And…like I just said. You have no _reason_ to be embarrassed or hide yourself."

Wufei blushed even more, looking down and tightening the blanket around him still more.

"Wufei," Duo growled slightly–Wufei liked the sound of it.

"Yeah?" he muttered, trying to regain the flash of irrational anger he'd felt minutes before; failing miserably while he was at it.

"I'm cold."

"Sorry!" he muttered, blushing again and pulling the actual blanket off himself to toss up to the bed.

Duo covered before rolling onto his side to meet Wufei's eyes. He could see the blush and confused disbelief on his friend's face–and it struck him again that he really shouldn't have done any of it. He shouldn't have given into Wufei's confusion.

"Duo?" Wufei's voice was uncertain, he felt like he was pleading for some reason, and he didn't know why.

Duo caught his breath, shocked at the tone of it. He'd expected Wufei to be pissed–possibly even to fight. But…no.

Wufei shifted slowly so he was on his knees next to the bed, staring into Duo's face. "What happened?" he whispered, looking Duo over and picturing what he'd look like under the blanket. He shook his head sharply, clearing the image from his mind and trying to meet Duo's eyes again.

"I don't know," Duo admitted. "I was fucking with you in the club…and…"

"You were going to kiss me," Wufei nearly accused. "I could tell that much."

"But I wasn't…I mean…I was fucking…I mean…" he mouthed momentarily at his friend.

Wufei leaned forward and let his forehead rest against Duo's chest, thinking over everything that had happened since he'd found Duo. He lifted his head to stare wide-eyed at Duo. "The cab…"

Duo laughed weakly again, raising one hand to grab Wufei's right wrist, looking at the cut Wufei had gotten from the wires in the cab before meeting his eyes again. "You're very impossible, you realize that, don't you?"

Wufei blushed again, thinking about what the driver must have thought. He settled on the floor, keeping one hand on Duo's thigh, blinking up at him again as he pulled his hand away. "What am I going to tell Relena?"

Duo stared at him, dumbfounded. "Tell?" he whispered, raising his head slightly. "After everything I've done to Quatre…you want to tell this?" he sat up, shaking his head. "No way! He'd leave me for sure!"

Wufei stared at him in utter amazement as these words sank into his mind. "Maybe he _should!_" Wufei snapped, feeling his ire rising again. "Maybe I should just go call right now! I could even cry!" he moved to jump away from the bedside as Duo snatched at the sheet he had wrapped around him, successfully inhibiting his motion so he nearly fell again. "Leave me alone!" Wufei snarled.

Duo yanked hard so that Wufei stumbled back toward him, falling across him and the bed. He had the extreme urge to shout at his friend, but decided against that. Instead, he stared intently into Wufei's eyes, pinning him to the spot.

Wufei found that he lacked the will to move.

"We can't tell anyone," Duo muttered. "All right? We won't tell?"

Wufei blinked at him. "Why not?"

Duo loosened his hold shaking his head and looking away. "It's just…"

"You slept with Trowa," Wufei added, looking away from Duo and moving to sit up. "I can tell…"

Duo nodded, looking away. "I did," he said quietly. "I just…I don't know," he met Wufei's eyes again, shaking his head. "I don't want to hurt Quatre _or_ Relena, you know? What happened tonight," he swallowed thickly, staring into Wufei's eyes, "was…both of us." He shook his head and looked away. "I've always been attracted to you, so I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later…but…I'm sorry, to you. My manipulation and games…"

"I…" Wufei muttered quietly, looking away. "You can't take all the blame. I'm a big boy, I knew what I was doing."

Duo met his eyes again, studying them carefully. He didn't want to comment that Wufei hadn't actually known what was going on, not really.

"I don't regret it, though," Wufei muttered, meeting Duo's eyes uncertainly.

Duo smiled. "My only regret is breaking Quatre's trust."

"But you'd _fucked Trowa_," Wufei muttered, frowning at him.

Duo looked away, shaking his head.

"Was it the same with him?" Wufei asked quietly.

"Yes," Duo lied. "Sometimes I do things I shouldn't, and don't have the self control to stop myself."

At least that wasn't a lie.

Wufei ran a hand over his neck and his eyes went wide–before Duo could ask what was the matter, the Chinese teen had ran across the small room and into the bathroom, flicking on the lights. "Son of a bitch, Duo! How am I going to explain this!?"

Duo realized the problem, rubbing his nose slightly and looking toward the doors. "Just like Trowa did, I imagine."

"A chance one night stand?" Wufei demanded sarcastically, moving to stand in the door and stare at Duo.

Duo grinned slightly at him. "That's what it is, isn't it?"


	11. Candied Apples

**Candied Apples**

Wufei stared vaguely at the floor as he and Duo waited for the others to come off the plane. The pair were on a Caribbean island. Duo had been there two days, and Wufei one. Wufei was still confused about everything that had happened the night before, when Duo had seduced him, but things were becoming clearer…like the fact that Duo not only manipulated him, but used him as well. This information alone meant nothing, really, until one factored in the knowledge that Duo had been in a steady relationship with Quatre for several weeks, and had cheated on him previously with Trowa.

Duo hadn't said more to Wufei than he had to since they'd woken up, and frequently left the room for outrageous outings–like getting ice, when they didn't even use ice. They'd eaten together quietly for both breakfast and lunch, and Duo was refusing to meet Wufei's eyes at all.

In reality, Duo was feeling nauseated with guilt and grief, disgusted with himself over what had happened and irritated with Wufei that he'd let it happen. He didn't know where to turn. He'd left the group because he was trying to decide what he was going to do about having slept with Trowa, and had ended up sleeping with Wufei.

It was like Trowa always said. It was a thing of the moment, and Duo hadn't cared what it boded for the future. Duo was inconsiderate, unfeeling…and un-human, since he could ignore those emotions.

Wufei's stomach did a little flip as people finally appeared in the walkway. He realized suddenly that…he was angry.

"I can hear Quatre," Duo muttered quietly, moving forward with expectance. He couldn't wait to see Quatre again even though he knew he'd done his lover wrong.

"You really love Quatre, don't you?" Wufei asked quietly, narrowing his eyes as he tried _not_ to think.

"I do," Duo muttered, looking down. "I'm really sorry, Wufei…"

"You should be."

Duo fell silent.

"I think…" Wufei muttered, moving up next to the person he'd considered a friend until that moment, "that maybe…" even if they hadn't always been the closest of friends, "you should…" even if they could hardly stand to be in the room together sometimes, "watch it, with him."

"What?" Duo asked, blinking at the guy.

"Be careful, or you may lose him," Wufei said quietly. "And we couldn't have that, now, could we?"

Duo felt his own stomach perform a circus flip on a flying trapeze as Wufei focused up the walkway and smiled, waving.

If it hadn't already before, Duo realized, shit had just hit the fan.

- -

"We ended up laughing all night," Quatre continued his story, having straddled Duo at some point. "So Heero and I are getting along again," he grinned slightly. "We talked about you."

"You did?" Duo asked, lost in Quatre's eyes.

"Yeah," Quatre nuzzled Duo with a small smile as he thought over the conversation. "He told me that I was right, because he _hadn't_ let anyone else know he was interested in you…and you have to admit he had a point. You only seemed interested in fucking him."

Quatre was referring to the fact that before he and Duo had became a couple, Duo'd been flirting with Heero. He'd been….trying…to start a relationship with him to an extent, and trying to bed him to another, and all together making a mess of things just because he could.

Duo chuckled coldly, staring at the far wall.

"So I think he'll want to talk to you too…but, Duo?" Duo met Quatre's eyes again. "Don't kiss him, okay?"

"All right," he breathed.

Quatre laughed, hitting him. "Come on, laugh!"

Duo realized suddenly what Quatre had actually said and did laugh. "I can't believe you!" he stated.

Quatre sniggered, nibbling his ear. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," Duo replied, kissing Quatre's throat. "It was a long two days."

Quatre laughed. "Let's make up for lost time, then."

- -

"Hey, there, Sweet thing…"

Wufei turned in irritation as a guy approached he and Relena. They were standing at one of the out-door bars drinking sodas.

"You want to dance?" the guy asked.

Relena flashed Wufei a brilliant smile before accepting the man's hand and disappearing with him out onto the dance floor.

Wufei's couldn't believe that.

It wasn't even like it was the first time it had happened. Whoever this guy was got Relena to dance with him whenever he could. He wasn't really following them from place to place along the tropical shore-line, but he ended up at a lot of the same places they were at.

To further the insult, Wufei noted, the guy was performing a ballroom type dance.

"Faget," Wufei muttered darkly, turning back to the bar and pulling out his fake I.D., setting that in front of him he tapped on the bar.

The man showed very little interest in checking the I.D., and within moments, Wufei had a sizable margarita sitting in front of him.

"Wufei!" Relena hissed, coming up behind him.

"What?" Wufei returned, feeling bad when his sharp tone caused her to frown. "You want one?"

"Me?" her eyes went huge and she giggled. "Here? I don't think so. I'll drink at parties…but…"

"Bar-tend, something for the lady," Wufei said over her.

The man didn't even bother asking Relena for identification. He poured a few sweeter liquors into a bottle and mixed it with something clear, setting that in front of Relena and watching her expectantly.

Relena sipped it experimentally, and her eyes lit up.

The man smiled, looking to Wufei.

"Here ya go," Wufei muttered, passing him a handful of bills and taking Relena's hand. "Let's go to the water."

"Wufei! Relena!" Quatre came running up the beach as they cleared the bar, his face lit in a bright smile as Duo followed him–less happily, but still.

"Hey, Quatre," Wufei greeted the guy, smiling brightly at him–and ignoring Duo.

"Where have you guys been?" Quatre demanded, stopping to catch his breath. "We've been looking all over for you."

"We got'em," Duo muttered into his phone, not looking at the pair of them. "Yeah, down at…Tropical Bath." Duo snorted, having read the bar's name.

"I got tickets to a show!" Quatre went on, straightening up. "We need to leave in like…" he glanced at his watch. "Twenty minutes…" he looked worriedly to Relena. "Can you be ready in twenty minutes?"

"What kind of show is it?" she asked curiously.

"Is that alcohol?" Quatre demanded suddenly, noticing the salt around the edge of Wufei's cup.

"Yes," Wufei replied, offering it. "Try some?"

Quatre stared at him in amazement.

"I will," Duo muttered, smirking slightly at Wufei before taking a drink–and choking. "Good…" he breathed.

Wufei laughed delightedly, gesturing for Relena to share. "He made her a chick drink, you can handle that, I'm sure, Maxwell."

Duo took a sip of that, nodding and making a face. "It's sweet."

"Yes," Wufei's eyes narrowed.

"I'll try that," Quatre said to her.

Relena giggled. "We're gonna get caught and get in a shit-load of trouble."

"Nah, just don't think about it," Wufei muttered, grabbing her hand. "Come on, let's get back to the hotel."

- -

"You gotta match me!" Hilde said excitedly to Relena as soon as the four of them reached the suite. "Come on!" she dragged Relena away, gesturing for Quatre to join them.

Duo blinked across the room to the open patio-windows. Heero was standing against a railing in a pair of khaki-pants and a button-up white short-sleeved shirt. He was wearing a pair of sandals and was looking over the beach and ocean below.

Wufei set his glass down, studying Duo's face a moment before sniggering slightly and pinching his butt.

Duo yelped, moving to hit him before staring at him in amazement.

"I haven't seen that look in a long time," Trowa muttered, appearing from a back room. "What happened?"

Duo stopped rubbing the sore spot and rolled his eyes at Trowa before moving quickly across the room to join Heero on the patio.

"Hey," Heero greeted him quietly. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Duo muttered, leaning next to him and studying the people on the beach.

"Is it just me, or is Duo acting odd?" Trowa asked Wufei as they watched he and Heero talking.

"You would know," Wufei muttered, moving down the hall and leaving Trowa standing there in confusion.

- -

"Is there something you _need_ from me," Zechs sang happily at a random lady who was staring at him as he led the group of teenagers from the theater. "Are you having your fun?" he laughed. "I never agreed to be your only one!" he turned and pointed at Hilde. "Whatever I've done…I've been staring down the barrel of the gun!"

"Knock it off," she muttered in irritation, not meeting his eyes.

The problem was, of course, that Zechs was just enough drunk that it didn't matter. He wasn't yet a danger to himself or others, but his inhibitions were lowered just enough that embarrassing his mistress meant nothing to him.

He laughed more, draping an arm over Duo's shoulders. "I'm not the _one!_" he backtracked to another point in the song.

"Feel free to knock him out," Relena muttered, not looking at the few people who were studying the group curiously.

The trip back to the motel room was mostly uneventful. Zechs nearly fell off the board-walk a few times, asked everyone to dare him to jump into the ocean, then moved into a hand-stand for no apparent reason. He _did_ fall off the boardwalk for that, and the fact that they couldn't help but laugh at him meant he was trying more stunts–like walking along a handrail.

Before that one could end badly, however, Heero jerked the guy off the thing and manhandled him into the semblance of order, forcing him to walk right at his side as they reentered the motel, then moved into the elevator, where Zechs began showing the signs of sedation that always follows drunken stupidity.

It took maybe ten minutes after arriving back at their rooms for Zechs to fall asleep, and then they all sat down for a comfortable game of Clue.

"Where did this come from?" Heero asked when he'd gone to get drinks, bringing the glass Wufei had used back to the group and looking around.

"It's mine," Wufei muttered. "We got drinks at the Tropical Bath," he smirked.

"We?" Heero asked.

Wufei pointed at Relena.

Heero smirked, looking everyone over. "Anyone else thirsty?"

"I don't think so," Hilde replied. "I've had enough of drunks for the week."

Heero laughed–and within ten minutes, he and Wufei had decided to get themselves at least something.

"Well, that was a good idea," Relena muttered, tossing her clue-sheet onto the board. "We need to start over."

"Nah," Quatre muttered removing the pair's pieces from the board. "I think we can make it without them."

- -

"Hey, Quatre," Wufei muttered, moving up to Quatre's back, not quite touching the guy.

Quatre turned his head to look at him, then moved away slightly. "Hey, Wufei," he replied uneasily, Wufei's intent was fairly obvious.

Wufei smiled, running a hand along Quatre's face and studying his eyes so intently that Quatre was pinned to the spot.

"Sometimes it bothers me that Duo got you first…" Wufei muttered, kissing Quatre lightly.

"Wufei, I'm with Duo," Quatre muttered, backing away from him before anything else could happen.

"Come on, Quatre…you know he kissed Heero…you'll be even."

Quatre didn't like that this logic made sense to him, shaking his head.

Wufei kissed him again, however.

"Come on, Wufei," Quatre protested, shoving Wufei back. "You…you're drunk," he started to move away from the guy.

"No, I'm not," Wufei smiled. "Just a bit buzzed."

"This isn't funny, Wufei," Quatre snapped when Wufei caught his wrist. "You're making me uncomfortable."

"Just a kiss, Quatre," Wufei whispered, moving in close to Quatre's face, not actually kissing him. Quatre paused. He didn't like that he _wanted_ to kiss Wufei. "Just one kiss…and I'll leave you alone," Wufei murmured, brushing Quatre's hair back from his face as he studied Quatre's confused blue eyes.

"One," Quatre consented finally, his chest heaving. "Then I go."

"Yeah, sure…" Wufei muttered, leaning forward, cupping Quatre's face in his hands.

The kiss was sweet. It wasn't pressing, demanding…or even asking, for anything. Duo hadn't kissed Quatre like that in a long time, and he found suddenly, that he missed it.

"Maybe…maybe one more…" Quatre muttered, his heart pounding so hard he was sure Wufei could feel it.

"Yeah…" Wufei backed him across the room, running his hands over Quatre's body.

"Fei," Quatre whispered as Wufei started kissing on his throat, closing his eyes and trying to regain his resolve.

"Shh," Wufei whispered, pressing a finger to Quatre's lips and meeting his eyes, smiling slightly before nibbling at his ear like he saw Duo do so often.

Quatre caught his breath, tilting his head slightly.

Wufei chuckled.

- -

"Oh my god, Heero!" Quatre clung to the guy's arm. "Oh my god, oh my god…"

"What's the matter?" Heero asked, concerned and looking around for the source of the blonde's irritation.

"I fucked Wufei last night," Quatre whispered into Heero's ear. "He was drunk…and…"

"Oh shit," Heero muttered, meeting Quatre's eyes. "How?"

"I don't know…" Quatre muttered in agony of guilt. "I can't tell Duo, though! I just…"

"Where _is_ Fei?" Heero demanded, looking around.

"He and Relena left some time this morning…he didn't even wake me up," Quatre stared hopelessly into Heero's eyes, silently begging him to come up with a solution to the problem or make the fact that he'd been unfaithful just go away.

"All right, all right…" Heero muttered, casting around mentally for something to _do_. "I won't tell Duo, but…"

"Thank you!" Quatre hugged him slightly, then sank into a crouch, leaning against his legs and whimpering slightly.

"It's all right…" Heero muttered, running a hand reassuringly through Quatre's hair. "It'll be okay…all right?"

"What's up?" Trowa asked evenly, stepping onto the patio, his eyes on Quatre. He could tell the blond was upset, but he couldn't think for the life of him why that might be.

"He slept with Wufei last night," Heero explained quietly.

Trowa froze.

Heero gave him a pointed look, gesturing to Quatre who seemed to be about to hyperventilate.

"I see…" Trowa muttered, moving forward to lean in front of Quatre, staring into his eye. "Are you all right?"

"I just want to _die_," Quatre muttered, covering his face with his hands. "Wufei came up to me last night…and was saying all sorts of shit…and just one kiss…and one led to two…and…." he took a choked sounding breath as if he were about to cry.

"I understand, it's all right," Trowa reassured him, resting his hands on Quatre's shoulders. Seeing how Quatre was reacting to cheating on Duo was making Trowa extremely uncomfortable, because if this was how _Quatre_ would act after sleeping with someone, what would he do when he found out that Trowa had slept with Duo?

"You do?" Quatre asked, raising slightly blood-shot eyes to meet Trowa's.

"I do," Trowa replied, nodding. "It's happened before…sometimes…you just can't help yourself…you know?"

"But that doesn't make it all _right!_" Quatre snapped.

Trowa bit his tongue, cursing silently.

"I _love_ Duo!" Quatre went on, his eyes looking slightly feverish. "That fact alone should mean that I don't even _look_ at other people…and then suddenly Wufei waltzes in…and I _screw_ him?"

That also sent another wave of guilt through Trowa, and though he didn't want to admit it, some satisfaction.

"It's all right, Quatre," Heero muttered, kneeling down next to them. "Everything will be fine. Duo loves you, so he'll forgive you. He might be mad for a while, but…"

That whimper came from the blond again as he covered his face with his hands.

"Nothing worth having comes easily," Trowa whispered hoarsely.

Heero looked at him sharply, trying to understand why his tone sounded so thick.

"What's going on?" Duo's voice was confused as he moved onto the patio. "Why didn't you come to bed last night, Quatre?"

Quatre's head snapped up instantly. "I…fell asleep…in the living room," Quatre lied.

"Oh…" Duo smiled slightly, moving across the patio. "I knew I shoulda checked."

Quatre laughed a bit wildly, allowing Duo to take him into a hug and returning the kiss.

"You all right?" Duo asked, blinking at the guy and glancing to Trowa and Heero in confusion when they stood again.

"We're fine," Quatre said instantly, breaking Duo's grip. "I'm gonna go take a shower," he darted from the patio.

Trowa wasn't meeting Duo's eyes as he moved back into the room.

"Good morning, Duo," Heero greeted him, studying Duo's eyes.

"Morning," Duo replied, frowning at the others. "Sleep well?"

"Wonderfully," Heero replied, smiling slightly. "You and I should go raid the hot-tub tonight."

Duo laughed a bit evilly at that.

Heero chuckled. "I thought you'd appreciate it," he studied Duo a long moment, trying to guess how the guy might react to finding out Quatre had slept with Wufei.

"What?" Duo asked, frowning at him, then looking around the patio. "Everyone is acting _weird_ today," he added, turning and starting for the suite again.

"It's just one of those days," Heero muttered after him. "Sometimes shit happens."

- -

E/N: "Barrel of a Gun" Depeche Mode


	12. Shades of Gray

**Shades of Gray**

"A week and a half in any place seems to be the length for maximum entertainment," Heero noted to his nearly constant companion. He felt guilty for having so much of Duo's attention, but Quatre was in agony of self-loathing, and though Duo was not oblivious enough to not notice this, he wasn't sure how to approach Quatre on the matter.

Duo himself was beginning to wonder if Quatre had found out about his own indiscretions. He'd slept with Trowa at one point in the last two weeks, followed a night or two later by his accidental seduction of Wufei. It truly had been accidental; he'd approached Wufei a certain way to make him angry, instead…well, that was another story entirely.

"Duo?" Heero asked. He was getting used to Duo's introverted silence, and he knew that once he distracted Duo from his thoughts, Duo would be a good companion again.

"Yeah?" Duo asked, focusing on the guy.

Heero studied him a long moment and wondered how much of his rambling had completely bounced off into nothingness. "You said you were going to get me that game, remember?"

Bullshit, and Heero knew it.

"Oh, shit," Duo muttered, his expression going completely confused a moment. "I did forget. Come on," he picked up the pace toward a large department store.

Heero sniggered, giving chase. "I'm kidding, Duo…you never…"

"You were also talking about another game," Duo cut him off without actually hearing him. "What was it?"

Heero stared in amazement. That particular part of the conversation had been part of the "bounce off" stuff he'd throw at Duo.

"Man, you're right, though," Duo added, not seeming to notice Heero was lagging behind. "A week and a half is enough," he shook his head distantly. "I'm more than ready to go to L-2."

And that statement, if any, made Heero realize that things were definitely _not_ what they seemed.

- -

Loneliness was not Heero's favorite emotion. When he'd started to realize what feelings he had and analyze them, loneliness was on the top of the list. It was maddening.

He did not know of a single soul on his colony that could help him out. Sure, there were a few people here and there that he'd met. He knew the theory behind making friends, but he'd never been forced to act on it.

Except for the week or so he'd spend on his colony each summer, Heero was never away from one of the other pilots. Duo drew friends to him like flies on a dead cow; he had a sort of open willingness to accept everyone. Trowa, who was very good at ignoring the world around him, could break the ice with any person he saw–a useful skill for someone who infiltrated base after base. Quatre was Quatre. Quatre was sweet and innocent and open. It really did make sense that he and Duo were together, and should this shit with Wufei ride out, well, there was no doubt that the pair would be entertaining almost constantly. Of course, Wufei was much more closed off. He had to be approached, but there were people who could tell that he really was a good guy.

Only, this theory was beginning to wear on Heero. He was still full of disbelief that Wufei would _seduce_ Quatre. Heero wasn't fool enough to think that Wufei had done that for no reason. Other than a hint or two, the idea that Wufei might even _look_ at males for partnership had never crossed Heero's mind.

But that also made those hints come to the forefront. Wufei had seemed, for a while, almost unnaturally attached to Quatre. He'd even caused a fight between himself and Duo over it. In that light, it wasn't so shocking that Wufei had manipulated Quatre. But Heero had never _believed_ that Wufei honestly had any interest in the blond former-pilot.

Duo would be nice company.

The thought crossed Heero's mind vaguely. Duo would start chattering about something inane and that would either annoy Heero or fully gain his attention–at any rate, it would be more occupying than playing a hand-held game. The fight scenes of the thing left too much time for thought.

"Mr. Yuy?"

Heero looked up at the polite "host" who'd been assigned to him. "Yes?"

"They're ready for you now."

Groaning slightly, Heero rose to his feet and saved the game–if Duo were here, he would be sitting in the back row doing his damnedest to distract Heero from the speech.

Heero grinned slightly; maybe Duo's absence wasn't such a bad thing after all.

- -

Duo punched the wall as he stormed down the hall by himself. He hated the stupid pacifists. He hated how they accused him of mass murdering helpless people. They weren't _in_ the war-zone. They had _no_ idea what it had been like for _him_…at _his_ age! Technically speaking, Duo wasn't even _legal_.

"Mr. Maxwell, please," his host muttered, tailing him nervously. "If there's anything I can do…I can have those people arrested," he added a bit vindictively.

"No," Duo replied shortly. "They are allowed their opinions."

"But they were rude! They were a disturbance."

"They didn't agree with the war. They didn't agree that we were sent out in our Gundams. It's not worth a court-battle. They'll just get smacked on the wrist and told to leave us poor things alone. I'm not going to even touch that," he glanced at his own dark expression in a mirror as he passed it. "Though I might touch _them_."

"Mr. Maxwell?" his host asked nervously.

"What?" Duo snapped.

"Am I dismissed for now? You know how to get ahold of me?"

"I made it here on my own when I was a child," Duo snapped at him. "Go burn in hell if it suits you."

"You don't have to get all pissy with me," the man complained. "I'm on your side."

"More than half the colony _is_," Duo snapped back, then forced himself to calm down. "I apologize," he offered, extending a hand. "I'm being uncivil. I'm angry. I apologize."

The man nodded cordially, able to accept that as he offered his own hand. "I do as well."

"You wanna go have lunch or something? I have nothing to do until tomorrow's speech."

The man truly looked upset now. "I…I have a date."

Duo smirked at him and waved him off, thinking about Quatre a moment. "Yeah…I'll just call you later, then."

"Here's some money," the guy added, digging out a money-clip and passing it to Duo. "That way you don't have to buy your own food. This is supposed to last us until you leave, though…so…"

Duo nodded, grinning at him again and shaking his hand as he pocketed the money. "Thanks. I'll catch you later."

"Bye."

Duo turned away and started for his hotel again.

Sometimes there was nothing to be done.

- -

Trowa yawned, staring out at the rain. He'd heard that they were going to make it rain and was glad that there had been nothing planned for that time period. Of course, in a colony, when it "rains", not a single soul would be able to pay attention to a speech made by a teenage boy who would rather not be in front of a crowd. Nothing Trowa had to say was very interesting anyway.

Trowa decided _not_ to sign up for this the following year. Maybe for ten years of peace, if there was that long. He could just come back for signature years. After tenth would be twentieth, after twentieth would be fortieth and fiftieth…and then he could die around the seventieth and not have to deal with the seventy-fifth.

He yawned as he climbed to his feet, moving to the couch and flipping on the television. It didn't take him long to find a camera on Duo. Duo was giving his speech easily with a respectful crowd…until a group of twenty or more people marched into the arena and started shouting anti-war slogans.

Trowa's jaw dropped as the camera did a close up on Duo's face. He looked about to cry as he surveyed the people and stopped talking. He even backed away from the podium when the leader of the group jumped up on the stage, yanking the microphone from him and started preaching about how the Gundam Pilots had killed and had no right to do it.

Poor Duo…

Trowa grabbed his phone instantly when it rang, noting vaguely that the caller I.D. said it was Wufei. "Yeah?"

"Are you watching this?" Wufei demanded in obvious irritation.

"If you mean to ask if I'm watching Duo faced with about twenty pacifist assholes, then yes I am. When was this recorded?"

"About twenty minutes ago," Wufei replied in mild disbelief.

The person with the microphone actually took a _swing_ at Duo, which he deflected easily.

"Shit," Wufei breathed.

Trowa himself was wondering why the newscaster wasn't going on about Duo being arrested for assault and battery.

Duo did not, however, hurt the man. After the initial clumsy attack, Duo ducked forward and pinned the man's hands behind his back.

"That's a brilliant move," Wufei noted sarcastically, though his tone was still disbelieving.

Duo held the man until an officer arrived to handcuff him, then followed a man who had darted up from the sidelines. The last shot of Duo was of him standing in the door as the mob of anti-war protestors broke into a mini-riot. Duo's expression was pissed.

"I think _he_ should refuse for sure next year," Trowa noted, his mind traveling back to his own decision to refuse to tour.

"Yeah, really. God, are we going to be faced with that?" Wufei was feeling vaguely uncertain if he even wanted to finish _this_ tour.

"I don't know," Trowa muttered after a few moments. "How many people in your colony protested?" The second the question passed Trowa's lips, he wished he hadn't asked. He had forgotten that Wufei's colony was no longer in existence.

"Not many," Wufei replied quietly after a long silence. The only protestors had been old ones, and their issue had been in the command area of the problem. They had believed that the elders should tell Wufei what to do, not the doctor.

Trowa took the moment of awkward silence to hit a button on his remote, minimizing the news coverage. After a moment, he found the command he wanted and had the machine call Duo's hotel.

"What, Trowa?" Duo demanded in severe irritation as he came onto the screen. "Are you going to tell me I should press charges as well?"

Trowa blinked at him, wondering who might have suggested that and shaking his head. "Wufei? Call me through the vid."

"All right."

Within moments all four of them were on the TV screen with the news coverage of Duo's riot in the center of the four blocks, coving a bit of Duo and Heero's shirts.

"So…what happened?" Trowa asked, focusing on Duo. "What…"

"You _saw_ what happened," Duo snapped back, running his hands over his face. "I was giving my speech and like…fifty dumb-asses interrupted. Just before you called, I heard that there were at least a hundred outside as well."

"Are you all right?" Quatre asked, all sweet-concern. "You want me to come? I can put mine off."

"No," Duo snapped again. "I'm in too bad a mood and you don't need to deal with me like this."

"But that doesn't mean he can't deal with you," Trowa noted.

"I never said _that_," Duo replied in more irritation. He'd gotten that angry once before, and he had kept Trowa away for the very same reason. Trowa'd gotten the impression that Duo didn't think he could handle it, and that had not been a good kink for their already rocky relationship.

Quatre's expression was confused, but Trowa felt the distinction had to be made. He owed at least _that_ to Quatre.

"So what's going on now?" Heero asked, his eyes not on any particular person.

The news coverage was showing outside the arena Duo had been in and the people who were amassed. Police had come and were starting to break it up.

Duo groaned, leaning sideways on the couch and covering his face. "I wish I was never _born_."

"Duo," Trowa, Quatre, and Heero said that in unison before looking to each other a moment in confusion.

"This is breaking into a pity party," Wufei noted, his eyes narrowed. "I'm going to hang up now."

"Thanks for your concern," Duo nearly snarled at him.

"Yeah, whatever," Wufei disappeared and the screens changed to compensate.

"Quatre? It's time for your speech!" Sarah Winner appeared behind her brother, blinking at the screen and smiling. She waved. "Hi, Yuy. Where's Chang?"

"He's being insensitive," Heero explained with a grin. "How are you?"

Sarah, however, had focused on the news coverage–or so it seemed. "Oh dear."

"Yeah."

"We've got security out to watch anyone here," Sarah reassured her brother, then waved at us all again before disconnecting Quatre from the circuit.

"Well…that didn't last long," Trowa noted, focusing on Duo. "Are you going to be all right?"

"I should be," Duo replied in a deeply depressed tone. "As long as no one draws a gun on me."

"They're pacifists."

"Which is why that guy took a swing at me," Duo noted before burying his face again.

"Don't be such a baby," Heero muttered to him. "This isn't _that_ bad."

"No, but I fucked Trowa and Wufei about three weeks ago."

Trowa's jaw joined Heero's on the floor as Heero focused on Trowa in disbelief.

Duo laughed. "Oh, you're all shocked now…"

"When?" Heero demanded. "How?" this was followed by, "_Wufei?_"

But things suddenly made sense to Trowa, and Heero himself was doing a little mental math. Three weeks placed them in the Caribbean, where Wufei had seduced Quatre.

"I'm going to go for now," Trowa informed Heero calmly. "You and I can argue later."

"Fine," Heero snapped, still studying Duo.

Trowa disconnected from them…and called Wufei.

- -

"Little brother, don't mope so much," Sarah ordered Quatre as they moved back into his private quarters. "You'll be back with Duo soon," her eyes flashed.

Quatre stared at her absently for a long moment before nodding and recomposing himself. "It's just…"

"I know. He was upset by the mob. He should have known it was going to happen. He'll be all right. In a week or two you'll all be back on Earth going to school like it's nobody's business…and it's not."

"But he's upset!" Quatre protested. "I can't do anything for him sitting here in this plush hell…" he looked the room over. "And I can't even _leave_ because that would make him even more upset…on top of everything else!"

"Everything else?" Sarah asked, considering her brother a moment. She was the only one of the lot that knew he had a relationship with the Maxwell boy. She did, however, know when something was said that hadn't been intended.

Quatre rubbed his face, shaking his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

"So? I'm your sister."

Quatre groaned–and figured he may as well tell her. She wouldn't be happy until she could understand why he was so upset and he couldn't lie to her. Maybe to anyone else…maybe to Duo, but not to Sarah.

After all, she was his sister.

- -

"I guess everything's not black and white after all," Heero muttered, thinking.

"We _knew_ that," Duo replied irritably. "Hell, I _practice_ that."

Heero snorted. "Meaning you're black."

That got him a look.

"Okay, okay," Heero muttered, thinking. "Now something is starting to make sense."

"Oh, what's that?"

Heero remembered that Quatre had not told Duo about his indiscretion. "Why Wufei is so pissy with you," he adlibbed.

"Yeah, yeah," Duo grumbled. "I wish he would die."

"Grow up," Heero snapped at him. "Stop acting like a baby and try to think of a way you can tell Quatre without killing him."

"I'm not telling Quatre," Duo said instantly, sitting up and focusing on the screen. "I'm not going to hurt him with that."

_Two to one_. Heero mentally agreed, nodding slowly. "I don't know. I think this is just turning into a web of lies."

"Turning into?" Duo asked, laughing. "Heero, it's been one for longer than you'd even guess!"

"Stop pitying yourself," Heero snapped. "It's unbecoming. Be a man for once."

Duo's eyes narrowed.

"Nothing is black and white," Heero added. "Not a damn thing."

Duo sighed, focusing on the radio he had playing in the kitchen and the old-time song that had come on. "I'm walkin'," he sang as he reached for the remote, "through the streets that are dead…walkin', with you in my head…" he smiled slightly at Heero as he turned that stereo up and Heero realized that it was over. Duo was done talking about things.

"Did I hear someone tell a lie…" Duo sang on, dropping his head back. "Did I hear someone's distant cry…"

"Duo, please," Heero muttered, trying not to remember all the times Duo had sang to him.

"I'm sick of love," Duo sang, opening his eyes, "and I'm in the thick of it…this kind of love…" he shook his head, meeting Heero's eyes. "I'm so sick of it…"

And nearly before he finished the line, he disconnected.

- -

E/N: "Love Sick" by Bob Dylan


	13. One Down

**One Down**

"Wufei, why did you sleep with Quatre?"

Wufei froze, turning his head to look at the vid screen and meet Trowa's eyes. He had not told a single soul of his petty revenge on Duo, who had seduced him a little more than a week before.

"Why did you sleep with Duo, at that," Trowa added, studying his friend. "My goodness, you're turning into a regular little man-slut."

Wufei glared at him a moment, then went to hit the disconnect button.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Trowa muttered, "because Duo happened to tell both Heero and I that it happened, and Quatre told both Heero and I what happened. If you hang up on me, Relena just might find out."

Wufei sat back slowly in his seat, staring at Trowa.

Trowa smiled happily in return.

There were just some days when it wasn't worth waking up.

- -

Quatre stared at the ceiling of his darkened room and closed his eyes tightly. Sarah had been very concerned when she found out what had went on between he and Wufei, and she'd been utterly shocked that Wufei had actually…slept with Quatre. The idea that Wufei might be gay or even bisexual had never once crossed his sister's mind, and truth-be-told; it had never crossed Quatre's, either. He hadn't been homophobic or even against gays. It really hadn't made a difference to him, and so no one would have seen it coming until it was sitting in their lap.

Of course, there was the one day that Wufei had been making come-ons to Quatre. He remembered that with another blush.

He couldn't tell if Wufei was truly attracted to him, or if Wufei had just been drunk. Hell, Quatre didn't even _like_ other guys. Duo was his one and only…

He rubbed his eyes, his head starting to hurt. It was easier to deal with Duo from a distance. He didn't feel such a crushing guilt when Duo couldn't touch him. He didn't feel dirty when Duo wasn't there to cuddle with him. That didn't mean it would be any easier to deal with Duo when they were together for Relena's tour.

His vid started beeping and he groaned, grateful for the voice-activated controls that surrounded him. "Answer."

"Quatre?"

Quatre sat up sharply, staring at Wufei with huge eyes.

"I…just…wanted to talk to you," Wufei muttered uncertainly. "I…" he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

- -

"So Duo's not telling Quatre and Quatre's not telling Duo," Heero muttered, eyes distant. "Duo doesn't know about Wufei, and Quatre doesn't know about you or Wufei…"

"Yeah," Trowa muttered.

"Are you _trying_ to kill him?"

Trowa met Heero's eyes, struck.

"Or maybe…just put him into an asylum? I can talk pretty fast, but if Quatre goes berserk again, it's not exactly like I can get him out of it. Before it was war. Now…what? He's living in a badly written soap opera. That excuse doesn't fly in court."

Trowa started to massage his temples.

"Fuck, Trowa. I haven't done _shit_ and I'm in the _middle_ of this."

"You kissed Duo."

"What?" Heero asked, remembering the incident with something like guilt.

"You did!" Trowa repeated. "Quatre told me that he'd told you that if you could take Duo away, he'd let you have him."

Heero stared at the other in stunned amazement.

"And you know, you were acting _really_ mature there for a while…and then you and Duo were hanging off each other. You are _not_ innocent in all this bull-shit."

"I'm not trying to take Duo anymore," Heero muttered, his brow furrowed. "I was hurt back at the house, but Quatre and I worked out our issues before Duo and I did the same. Besides which, I had nothing to do with Duo fucking around."

Trowa shook his head, standing and pacing toward the bar in his room.

"Where are you going?"

"I need a drink," Trowa replied. "You know how _that_ goes."

"Don't even start with _that_," Heero muttered.

"If you're going to call me on my vices, then I'm gonna call you on yours."

"Duo is a vice?" Heero was wondering if Trowa had thought that particular statement out.

Trowa paused in pouring himself some scotch, grinning slightly. "No, he's an addiction."

Heero frowned.

"You know I'm right," Trowa muttered, moving to sit in front of the vid again. "Because you yourself have experienced it. What it is, is that Duo accepts us as we are. He would never reject us, and seeing as so few people are like that, we want him to pay attention to us. We weren't raised right, none of us. We all have our issues, and…"

"You've really thought this out, haven't you?" Heero demanded, mildly disbelieving.

"I've had years of trying to understand why I couldn't get over him," Trowa said, narrowing his eyes. "The sex was an added bonus."

Heero blinked, studying Trowa's eyes. "You're gay?"

"Mm-hmm," Trowa admitted easily as he swallowed his drink. "Very much so."

Heero wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"As a matter of fact, I've had about three boyfriends since Duo."

Heero remembered the three guys very clearly. He'd wondered why Trowa had only hung out with one friend at a time. This sudden understanding was disturbing.

Trowa studied Heero. "What about you? What's your kink?"

"I…" Heero thought about it a moment before shaking his head. "I don't have one."

"Hm," Trowa finished the glass off and stood again. "I think you're lying."

"You're changing the subject," Heero accused.

"So are you," Trowa agreed, glancing back to the vid before pouring some juice into the glass and adding liquor. "We aren't getting anywhere, but you're finding out all sorts of interesting information."

"Interesting is not exactly the word I'd use for it."

"If I were interested, would you give me a chance?" Trowa asked, ignoring that and moving back to sit on the couch again, drawing his legs up to his chest as he sipped at the glass, studying Heero. "Could you and I get something going?"

Heero blinked, feeling suddenly embarrassed, avoiding Trowa's eyes.

"I mean…we have a lot in common. There's Duo, and alcohol…and…" Trowa couldn't actually think of anything to add to that.

"I don't want to talk about this right now," Heero decided.

"Why not?" Trowa asked. "I'd rather you just said no than play around."

Heero blinked, then blinked again. His mind was remarkably blank. He'd prefer it if he could tell how serious Trowa was…

"Of course, I wouldn't be comfortable with you alone with Duo, but that's understandable…or so I'd think."

"I…I'm…speechless," Heero decided, still blinking at Trowa. "I…can't think of an answer."

Trowa smiled at him. "Just some food for thought. You can get back to me on that any time. I won't pester you with it."

"You're absolutely impossible," Heero noted, blinking at the guy in amazement as exasperation set in.

"And I don't even try," Trowa smiled at Heero, taking another drink and shrugging.

Heero laughed, looking away again. "What were we talking about?"

"How much I'd enjoy your company?" Trowa offered.

"My company, or my bed?" Heero asked, giving Trowa a level look.

"Slow down, Cowboy! I said nothing about sex!"

Heero couldn't help but grin at that. "Neither had I."

The rest of the week passed easily, though the speeches were heavily guarded. None of the pilots were looking forward to the tour with Relena, but Relena was clueless. She was in her own little world.

Quatre was pissed, sharing angry looks with Heero. The blond sat with or on Duo as much as any situation would allow, and before noon the pair had disappeared. Wufei was made even more uncomfortable by the fact that Quatre's glare was at him as the door to their room shut.

Trowa was in all-round good spirits, he even laughed and patted Wufei on the shoulder when the music started loud in the other room.

"You fixed your hair," Heero noted to Trowa, considering him a moment.

Trowa directed his smile at Heero. "I do that once and a while…when I feel someone will appreciate it."

Heero laughed, then gestured with his head toward the kitchen.

Trowa watched Heero go, then looked back to Wufei with raised eyebrows before smiling again. "Here, go entertain yourself," Trowa muttered, tossing a wad of bills on Wufei's lap before disappearing after Heero.

Wufei blinked at the kitchen entrance in amazement as a loud thud echoed around, followed by Duo's laughter. A few moments later, Heero and Trowa bounced back across the living room, talking animatedly as they disappeared into Heero's room. Trowa followed Quatre's lead and met Wufei's eyes with an extremely evil smile before shutting the door as well.

Wufei was at a loss, looking around the suddenly empty room. Relena, Hilde, and Zechs had gone into town because they were bored. No one expected that trio back until around suppertime…which left Wufei with a wad of bills in his lap and no one to talk to.

Heero hadn't been angry when he'd finally called and talked to Wufei about what Duo had admitted. He hadn't tried to argue for or against Duo himself, and in the end, the conversation had been about a new game that Duo had bought for Heero.

Wufei didn't understand anything else of what was going on around him. Relena was indifferent to his presence and Quatre was pissed. Duo avoided him at all costs if he could get away with it, and obviously Trowa was completely normal. Hilde hadn't even _invited_ him to go shopping with them.

Feeling dejected, rejected, and depressed, Wufei rose to his feet. He tucked the money he'd been given into his pocket and stopped at the door to the hotel. He had his key in his pocket, and the late August air was warm.

Moving slowly from the hotel onto the street, Wufei wondered what might happen if he were accosted by a group of pacifists. There had been no further incidents with any of them, and there was expected to be no issues with Relena's end of the tour. Relena was still a popular leading figure, though she was kept out of the spotlight by strict restrictions. Only if she were _intending_ a public show could anything be published about her. Since she was only seventeen and not highly interested in public show, the people ate up anything they could get on her. Like-wise, the five former Gundam pilots were given the exact same treatment–as well as a few other notable young people who hadn't been _allowed_ to grow up.

Wufei's thoughts were somber as he wandered into a park. He wasn't sure what to do. The guy at the Caribbean had ended what relationship he'd had with Relena, and they hadn't been able to restart their friendship.

Certain as he was that Hilde didn't know about the dirt he and the other guys had swept under the carpet, he was beginning to wonder if Duo might _have_ told her. They seemed to tell each other everything, after all. Hilde had much the same personality as Duo. She didn't _care_ what you'd done or how you'd done it–or even if you were still _doing_ it. Of course, she was more upfront about her amusements than Duo was. Half of Duo's supposed acceptance was the fact that he'd be laughing his ass off internally at any problem offered to him.

Or was that just Wufei's anger at the guy?

"Fuck," Wufei whispered, wandering into a rose-garden. He normally wasn't attracted to such things, but today…

"Wufei!"

Wufei jumped, turning to look at Heero. The guy was jogging up to him with a curious expression. "What are you doing here?" Wufei demanded. "I thought you were with Trowa."

"I was, but Relena came back a few minutes ago. What's wrong?" Heero caught up to him, looking around the roses.

"This isn't good."

Heero blinked at him. "What?"

Wufei shrugged, turning up a cement-tiered…thing. There was a fountain at the center of it.

"Wufei?" Heero pressed, amazed.

Wufei sat down on one step, staring over the roses with empty eyes. "I fucked up, Heero."

"Yeah, so?" Heero squatted just behind him, following his gaze and wondering if Hilde'd seen the garden yet. "We all make mistakes."

"This wasn't just your everyday average fuck-up," Wufei muttered. "I…betrayed a trust."

"If you're talking about Quatre, he'll get over it," Heero muttered. "If you're talking about Duo than this has gone over my head–and if it's neither of those, then you've really gotten around."

Wufei smiled slightly, focusing on a blood red rose bush at the edge of one bed. The thorns were large and the entire thing was healthy–as if all the blood Wufei had spilled had fed that plant…

"Fei?"

Wufei sighed, turning his head to look at Heero a moment before shaking his head and moving to stand. He changed his mind, however, focusing on the bush again. "Have you ever fallen on a rose-bush, Heero? A big healthy one with large thorns?"

"I'm delighted to say that I'm not a klutz," Heero tilted his head at Wufei. "I can tell you that this isn't healthy. I don't even know what you're doing, but it's not healthy."

Wufei ripped his eyes from the plant and looked at Heero. "I fell in my mother's rose-bush once or twice. It was at the edge of the training-field."

Heero frowned, realizing that his words hadn't penetrated.

"It hurts when you're only wearing a wife-beater and pants. My arms were ripped to shreds," he indicated a thin-line of a scar on his upper arm, meeting Heero's eyes again. "They sting, too. When you take a shower, that kind of thing stings."

"Wufei, are you okay?" Heero asked, trying to think of someone he'd be able to call if Wufei was really having mental issues…

"No, Heero, I'm not okay," Wufei muttered, turning to meet Heero's eyes a moment before focusing on the rose-bush. "When the thorn looks attractive…"

"Wufei," Heero muttered, frowning at him–also having spotted the bush.

Wufei sighed, rising to his feet and meeting Heero's eyes again. "I suppose if you came to get me, we have somewhere to go."

"No, we just wanted to have supper together," Heero replied. "Quatre suggested one of us go after you."

Wufei didn't know what to say to that.

Heero studied him a moment. "I told you Quatre would get over it. Yeah, you fucked up. We all make mistakes. Nothing is black and white…it's like that damned coin of Duo's…the one he flips when he's preoccupied. One time its heads, the next its tails." Heero shrugged slightly, uncomfortable with the idea of giving serious support. "I don't know what to tell you, Wufei. Things will work out."

"Relena isn't even interested in being with me anymore."

That took Heero by surprise and he shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"She and I…well, you know. I thought we really had something."

"You realize that she was pouting to Hilde about you, right?" Heero asked. "That you'd become distant–she feels really bad about the Caribbean, whatever that means."

Wufei focused on Heero and narrowed his eyes. "You have all the answers."

"No, I just eavesdrop when I shouldn't," Heero smirked slightly. "Bad habit I picked up."

Wufei blinked, starting to shake his head.

"Just come have supper," Heero muttered, grabbing his arm and pulling at him. "Let's just get back to the house for a while…we can talk again tonight over a round of oblivion."

Wufei realized suddenly that he'd distanced himself from Heero–that before this shit had come down, he and Heero had really been friends.

"Okay?" Heero asked, sincere curiosity in his voice.

Wufei nodded slowly, starting to follow when Heero lead. "All right."


	14. History Repeating

**History Repeating**

Trowa laughed as Duo continued sweet talking Quatre. "Misery for two," he sang, "I'm choking, choking on your sweetness…"

Duo focused on him with raised eyebrows, studying him a long moment before smirking very slightly. "Come fetch with me, come fetch with me," the lines were more spoken than sang as he glanced at Quatre, focusing on Trowa once again with evil looking eyes. "I took fifteen from you, and you'll never get this back…truly, disgraceful, don't you know? You're not the lucky one…"

Trowa flipped him off.

"You two scare me sometimes," Quatre informed them. "Not only do you listen to most of the same music, you know what songs they are when they come out of nowhere."

"That's a…special song," Duo muttered in explanation, thinking back to the day he and Trowa had broken up and the blonde that had been the cause of it. "We only ever think about it on…special occasions."

"Special?" Quatre demanded, raising an eyebrow at Trowa. "Do tell."

Trowa lay a finger across this lips, smiling slightly as he winked. "It's our secret."

Quatre focused on Duo in confusion.

Duo winked as well.

Trowa laughed, rising to his feet and moving toward his room. "What's behind your painted face, can you see the real pig in the mirror…"

"Fuck _you_!" Duo shouted after him, deeply offended.

"I…think I missed something, there," Quatre muttered when Duo glanced back to him.

Duo shook his head…and walked away.

- -

"Song?" Hilde asked, sitting up as Quatre told his story. Duo had been in a bad mood since the morning's incident, and Trowa was staying in his bedroom. "What day is today?" Hilde demanded, swinging around to a calendar on the wall.

"August eighteen," Heero replied, his tone curious.

"Shit," she muttered, rising to her feet. "You came first to mind, known to be unkind?" she asked Quatre. "Blind by what we're showing?"

"I don't know the song," Quatre admitted. "I'd never heard it 'til they sang it. Why? What's the matter?"

Hilde flashed Quatre a grin, starting down the hall. "It's an insult to Duo."

"But…why?" Quatre was even more confused.

"He doesn't feel good," Heero adlibbed with a look to Hilde as he also stood. "Duo probably said something stupid."

"He was talking to me," Quatre muttered in confusion.

Wufei laughed, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder, giving Heero an amused look. "Then we _know_ it's stupid. Don't worry about it. We're surrounded by busy-buzzy-bees," he gestured to Heero and Hilde. "They'll fix it before anything goes screwy."

Zechs laughed at that, looking around. "Funny, I thought things _were_ screwy."

He got several looks for that as Hilde disappeared.

"No, Zechs," Heero murmured with a grin. "This is _normal_. I can't wait until you see when things go screwy," Heero walked out.

Quatre had focused on Wufei's hand, and finally met Wufei's eyes. He had no expression on his face or in his eyes as he did so.

Wufei dropped his hand quickly, suddenly uncomfortable as he looked away from the blonde.

Zechs blinked, though he was unnoticed.

Quatre left the room quickly.

"Oh…really?" Zechs asked, raising his eyebrows at Wufei.

Wufei met his eyes, blinking.

Zechs chuckled, rising to his feet in a bounce. "Now," he muttered, moving toward Wufei and backing Wufei to a wall. "Either Quatre has suddenly decided not to let friends invade his personal space…or something happened."

"What do you mean, happened?" Wufei demanded, guilt wrapping itself through his stomach as he tried to hold Zechs' eyes.

Zechs studied the younger male a long moment, noting the tension in his form and the look of his eyes. He knew Wufei enough to know he would be challenged if he wasn't careful here. He'd fought Wufei before, once, and had no intentions of repeating it.

"Why don't you mind your own business?" Wufei asked dangerously.

"My sister _is_ my business."

"So is Lucratzia," Wufei noted, relaxing some. "Just like Hilde is _my_ business."

"If you're cheating on my sister," Zechs returned, "then I'll tell Lucratzia myself that I'm fucking Hilde."

Wufei became tense again. "How can I cheat on your sister if we aren't even together?"

"As if," Zechs snapped, stepping back. "Why did Quatre just look at you like that? You _know_ he's with Duo."

Wufei shoved away from the wall, sliding beside the older male smoothly without touching him or moving far away. He smirked when he'd cleared the other. "Exactly."

- -

"What the hell is your problem?" Hilde snapped at Trowa. "Why did you bring that shit up again?"

"I'm sorry that it _matters_ to me that my _boyfriend_ cheated on me for months," Trowa snapped at her.

Hilde looked to Heero a moment before studying Trowa again. "Can't you just let it lie? He's not your boyfriend anymore."

"No," Trowa nearly shouted at her. "Because he's doing the same exact thing to _Quatre!_"

Hilde stared at Trowa in dismay.

"You didn't _hear_ what he was saying to Quatre!" Trowa continued. "The same shit he said to me!"

"It's the shit he means!" Heero snapped, flustered and annoyed himself, not sure why.

Silence.

"You know what?" Hilde decided, backing away from the two of them with her arms in front of herself. "I'm not going to touch this one. Heero, you comin' with me? I have a good burger joint in mind and a bit of chocolate."

Heero glanced back at Trowa, noting how upset he was before looking back to Hilde and moving toward her.

"Heero!" Trowa protested, shocked.

"I told everyone you weren't feeling good," Heero informed Trowa. "Maybe you should just hang out in here."

Trowa stared after them in amazement as they moved through the door and shut it.

"So…after our burger and chocolate, how about some roses?" Heero asked.

"I'm not buying you roses," Hilde returned, giving him a look.

Heero laughed.

- -

"Well, really," Relena muttered, sounding a bit coy. "He'd probably appreciate it."

"I don't think his not feeling good has anything to do with being physically sick," Wufei returned, looking the display of medicines over. "And even if he is, how do we know what kind of sick?"

Relena picked up a bottle of night-time medicine and started reading the label. "We could cover the docket," she muttered, glancing to Wufei. "I noticed that you guys don't have anything but pain-reliever in your house…and I don't even think those bottles have been opened yet."

"You bought them," Wufei reminded her.

Relena laughed, rising to her feet to lean against him again, reveling in his closeness and nearly ecstatic that he was paying attention to her again. She'd been so scared he'd lost interest…

"Anyway," Wufei muttered, also appreciating the closeness. "We don't get sick."

"Obviously you do," Relena replied, stepping away from Wufei to pick up daytime and nighttime medicines and a bag of cough drops.

- -

Trowa blinked at the far wall of the room, not sure if he were going to puke or not. It was such a bizarre feeling to him, too…the only times he'd puked before were from being punched in the stomach–and when he was very little he'd gotten the flu or something. He wasn't sure why he was feeling dizzy, either.

Heero hadn't realized how right he was when he said Trowa wasn't feeling good. Trowa had been in the main room of the building feeling dizzy and…overall like crap.

Trowa turned over in his bed, tossing the blankets off. He felt hot. He felt really really hot…

"Trowa?"

"Go away," he muttered. He really did _not_ want to talk to Duo.

The door opened anyway and Duo came into the room, studying Trowa a moment. Duo could see that Trowa had a fever.

"Don't be a baby," Duo instructed, popping open a bottle of painkillers and reading the label a moment. It took him a few seconds to decide that two would be appropriate and before Trowa could think of something to say to him, he moved into the bathroom, grabbing a cup and filling it with water.

"What are you doing?" Trowa demanded.

"Playing nurse-maid," Duo replied. "Wufei and Relena ran to the store for syrups, but you have a fever now."

"I do not."

Duo ignored that, digging the thermometer from his pocket and breaking open the package.

"Where the hell did this shit come from?" Trowa snapped.

"Er…Quatre had it in his luggage or something," Duo replied, tossing the rest of the packaging into a trashcan and grabbing the cup, moving back to sit next to Trowa as he put a cap on the tip.

"Why? It's not like we get _sick!_"

"Okay, Sarah put it in his backpack for him. I guess he looked a little ill when he left."

"Oh."

"She also told me that I was to watch you lot and take care of you, and Sarah Winner has this way of scarin' me. Sit still."

"What are you…" Trowa started, but Duo had grabbed his head–and put the thermometer tip into his ear.

"Duo!"

Duo ignored that, letting Trowa go and watching the read-out. "Yeah…you're one-o-one, Tro. That's a fever, if you didn't know it."

This got a level look.

"Take these," Duo added, flicking the tip-cover off into a trashcan with one hand as he offered the pills in the other.

"No."

"You _know_ I can make you take them," Duo informed him.

Trowa actually pouted at Duo, upset that he was being made to do something he didn't think was necessary. He did take the pills, however, not feeling up to a wrestling match with the other teen.

"Now drink this," Duo instructed further, passing the cup of water over.

Trowa sighed, giving into the inevitable.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Duo muttered, leaning across the bed to kiss Trowa by the ear. "Now lay down."

Trowa grumbled at him, doing as told.

Duo smiled slightly, pulling the covers around Trowa's shoulders. "I'll come back in about fifteen."

"Leave me alone."

"You want anything?" Duo asked as if Trowa hadn't spoken. "Are you hungry at all?"

"No."

"Soup is always good," Duo agreed yet again.

"I'm not hungry!" Trowa protested, sitting up. "I'm going to puke!"

Duo blinked at him, looking around the room a moment. "Your stomach is upset, I take it?"

"Duh."

"Your maturity is always so spectacular," Duo noted–he really wasn't over the morning's irritation and the fact that he'd been forced into taking care of the sick one actually annoyed him. He knew Trowa needed it, so he wasn't going to stop, but he could be annoyed about it all the same. "I'll talk to the others."

Trowa watched him walk out of the room before curling into his bed again, re-covering.

…But the day had already turned a little bit better.

- -

"What's your temperature?" Trowa muttered as Duo tested his ear yet again. He was feeling better, not so dizzy or hot.

"I don't know, hopefully normal."

"Take it," Trowa suggested, watching as Duo sat back again, focused on the screen.

"Why?"

"Why not? It's not like that will waste anything."

Duo studied Trowa a long moment as Heero came into the room.

"Take his," Trowa encouraged, gesturing at Heero with his head.

"My what?" Heero asked, moving to sit next to the pair.

"Temperature," Trowa replied, indicating the thermometer. "You don't have to put it in your mouth or anything."

"I've never had my temperature taken," Heero muttered, realizing it suddenly and focusing on Duo.

Duo raised his eyebrows very slightly, but Heero didn't seem to notice that. "Okay, fine," he gave in finally, flicking that cover off.

"That's an ear one, right?" Heero asked.

"Yeah," Duo agreed as he slid another cover onto the thing.

Heero offered his ear, smiling at Trowa.

Duo himself was beginning to feel resigned. He could tell that the others would be babying Trowa because of how rare it was for any of them to catch something. Trowa would definitely be a poor baby in all of their minds, not only his own…and Duo was probably going to have to start taking everyone's temperature.

"Ninety seven," Duo announced, meeting Heero's eyes.

Heero nodded, smiling slightly.

"What's that?" Trowa asked, finally spotting the pink bottle in Heero's hands.

"Pepto," Heero explained, bringing it into sight. "It should help your stomach."

"Oh…I've never had anything pink before."

"Trademark color," Heero replied, trying to open the bottle.

"You realize that you're completely inept at that, don't you?" Duo asked, taking the bottle from him and directing the cap so Heero could read it. "Push here," he indicated the tabs on the side of the thing.

He got a look for that.

"How do _you_ know how to do it?"

Duo lost his amused smile, shaking his head as he completely focused on opening the bottle. He preferred _not_ to think about Sister Helen showing him how to open the bottles for the younger children. He preferred _not_ to think about all the times he or his friends had been sick and she'd taken all their temperatures, even if they _weren't_ sick. He didn't want to remember the cups of slightly warm water she'd bring up to them when they were sick…or Solo, doing the same exact thing…

Trowa and Heero exchanged glances, blinking a moment.

"Here," Duo added, measuring out the liquid into the cup and giving it to Trowa, rising to his feet. "Shout for me if you need me."

"All right," Trowa replied, taking the medicine and watching him leave the room before focusing on Heero.

"He's been in a mood all day," Heero explained. "Relena and Hilde made him come in here to check on you and he wasn't too happy about it."

"That's flattering," Trowa noted.

"You pissed him off this morning, what do you expect?" Heero returned. "But he _did_ come in and check on you, and he _is_ taking care of you…so don't get all mortally offended."

Trowa snorted.

- -

"What's the final verdict?" Relena asked as she and Wufei moved back into the hotel room.

"Flu," Duo replied, taking the bag from her. "He's not coughing, but he has the fever for it."

"Oh!" Relena started for the room, but Wufei caught her wrist.

"I gave him some fever-reducers," Duo explained. "He's just a bit warm now. Heero's in there with him."

"Be sure and knock," Wufei muttered.

"Wufei!" Relena looked mildly scandalized.

Wufei grinned at her.

"I'll give him a dose of this," Relena muttered, taking the bottle Duo was holding.

"No, this is night-time stuff. I don't think he wants to be that drugged right now. He's…kinda hyper. Give him this," he offered up the second bottle.

"How much?" Relena asked nervously.

Duo stared at her in amazement, not letting her take the thing from him. "What do you _mean_, how much?"

"This one says two tablespoons," Relena replied, indicating the bottle she held. "But I didn't read that one."

Duo stared at her in amazement. "Have you ever been sick?"

"I get sick sometimes," she muttered, frowning. "Why?"

"Wufei, how much of this should Trowa have?" Duo asked, wondering how inept his brethren were.

"Uh…I don't know?" Wufei replied, giving him a look.

"That settles it, you lot are not to _touch_ medicine without me or someone who _knows_ in the room, all right?"

"Hey!" Relena protested.

Duo flashed her an evil grin, the moved around both of them to Trowa's room.

- -

"He's such an asshole," Relena pouted to Hilde and Zechs. "I was only trying to help."

"He expected us to know how much of the medicine Tro should have," Wufei added, shrugging.

Zechs was trying not to laugh as Hilde chewed on a lock of her hair that was wound around her finger.

"I'm sure he was happy you were trying to help," Zechs offered finally. "And though it's a bit difficult to overdose on cough-syrups, it's not something to play around with on someone else."

"Do _you_ know how much day-time adults should have?" Relena snapped at him.

"Two tablespoons, give or take. That's the general dosage."

Relena stared at him.

He shrugged. "It's sorta like common sense to us little folk."

"Zechs!" Hilde smacked him.

"I would have _read_ the directions," Relena pouted more. "It's not like I'd just have given him a random amount."

"He's probably happier that Duo's doing it anyway," Hilde reassured her. "Trowa, I mean. Duo used to help the nun take care of the other kiddies at the orphanages."

Relena and Wufei focused on her, though Zechs was studying the table.

"That was why Sarah got that kind of thermometer…not that new ones are hard to figure out, but it was one Duo knew how to use."

They all blinked.

"What?" Hilde asked, looking at the three of them.

"What's up?" Quatre asked, moving into the dining room to sit at the table between Relena and Hilde, looking at them all in turn.

"Where have you been?"

"I was watching a movie," Quatre explained. "How's Trowa? Duo came in earlier and told me he was sick, but he didn't hang out too long."

"I'm fine," Trowa muttered, moving into the kitchen himself with Duo and Heero on his heels. "For now, anyway."

"We aren't doing anything today, right?" Duo asked, moving around to stand behind Quatre and kiss the top of his head as he draped his arms over Quatre's shoulders.

"Not that I know of," Quatre muttered, squeezing Duo's hands. "I'm looking forward to a lazy Saturday."

"We just have to pack," Relena agreed. "Which we still have tomorrow to do…well, you guys. I have one more function," she made a face.

"You planned this yourself," Zechs muttered. "Don't look at us for sympathy."

She gave her brother a look.

Zechs smiled at her.

- -

Trowa poked at his chicken, not hungry. For all that he'd been starving, he really wasn't hungry anymore, and he hadn't even eaten half of the food.

"Just toss it," Duo muttered to him–he'd been watching Trowa throughout the meal and it had began to irk him when his ex started _playing_ with his food. "You don't have to eat it."

"I was hungry earlier, though…"

"You're sick, genius," Duo muttered. "Nothing will be normal for a while. Deal with it…and throw the fuckin' chicken away."

"Duo," Relena muttered.

"What? Honestly…"

"Honestly my ass," Wufei muttered.

"Don't _you_ start," Duo snapped, focusing on the Chinese teen. "What does any of this have to do with _you?_"

Wufei drew himself up.

"Don't even," Heero muttered firmly, looking between the two of them. "I don't know _why_ you two sat by each other…"

"What does _that_ have to do with _any_thing?" Relena demanded.

Silence blanketed the table.

Relena sighed in exasperation, rising to her feet and taking Trowa's plate from him. Since the meal was being had on paper-plates, the entire thing went into the trashcan as she brought his two-liter of flat soda to him. "Just because you aren't eating doesn't mean you have to leave the table."

"Thanks," Trowa muttered without acknowledging her words. He himself had just realized that Wufei had intentionally sat next to Duo and was trying to figure out why.

"You're not going to get sick on the flight home, are you?" Quatre asked Trowa curiously. "We have first class seats, so that should help."

"I'll be fine, I'm sure," Trowa muttered. "I just have to…not eat…before we fly."

Hilde was studying Wufei and Duo, however, her eyes considerate. "Boys," she decided finally, gesturing for them to follow her, "come with me."

"No," Duo replied easily.

Hilde turned to stare at him as Wufei paused in the act of rising.

"Now," Hilde instructed.

Duo sat back in his chair, folding his hand behind his head. "No."

"Duo…"

"No."

"I just…"

"No."

"Just for…"

"No."

"Duo!"

"No."

Trowa started sniggering.

Hilde mouthed at him.

Wufei sighed, leaning over to the counter and grabbing the bag the medicines had been in and tossing it to Trowa. "Here's your medicine."

Trowa blinked at Wufei as Hilde also lowered back into her seat, staring at Duo in amazement.

"Oh!" Trowa exclaimed happily, pulling out the bag of cough drops. "You got me cough drops!"

- -

E/N: "Fiend" by Orgy.


	15. In Which Heero Becomes a Counselor

**In Which Heero Becomes a Counselor** - Against his better judgment

"He came this way about twenty minutes ago," Quatre reassured Duo. "He wanted to come with us, so I'll tell him to get ready…go start the car."

"All right," Duo muttered, picking up the keys to the new little car Quatre had bought. He moved happily from the front door, waving at Zechs and Hilde, who were making out in Zechs' car, then proceeded to ignore them.

Quatre turned back to Heero's bedroom door and tapped his nails randomly against it as he pushed it open.

"Just a…" Heero started, then froze as Quatre poked his head into the room.

"Oh, shit," Quatre whispered, staring at the back of Trowa's head–it was very obvious the pair had been making out, seeing as Trowa's mouth had still been on Heero's throat. The Arabian slammed the door shut again, staring at the door as his heart started racing and he tried to process what he'd just seen. He doubted he'd ever forget the look on Heero's face–the other's eyes had been huge…

"You're supposed to knock and _wait_ for an answer," Trowa called through the door, his tone full of amusement.

"Holy shit," Quatre whispered again, starting quickly for the front door as he heard Heero talking fast. Trowa laughed more as Quatre stopped at the front door to compose himself.

Heero and Trowa had been making out.

The door opened and closed again, and Heero moved quickly down the hall, rubbing at his throat and wondering if he were marked in any way.

Quatre turned to regard him with his own set of huge eyes.

The Japanese teen's grin was all too amused as he smirked at the smaller blond. "I take it we're ready to go?"

"Yeah," Quatre squeaked, clearing his throat and darting out the front door.

"We'll be back later, Tro," Heero called down the hall as the taller teen stood in his bedroom door.

"Where ya goin'?" Trowa asked sauntering down the hall and making sure the living room was empty before resting his hands on Heero's hips. "You won't be gone too long, will you?"

"I don't think so," Heero muttered, leaning up to kiss the other…and the door opened.

Heero let out an exasperated breath.

"Quatre, you realize you have horrible timing, right?" Trowa asked.

"I'm sorry!" Quatre said quickly, staring at them with the same huge eyes, "I'm just…I…Duo's waiting and…"

Heero laughed helplessly, pulling away from Trowa with a wink, starting for the door.

- -

Duo smiled at Quatre, then gave Heero a slightly curious look. He was driving and Quatre was in the passenger seat. The blond hadn't shut up since he'd gotten in the car, and Heero was sitting forward in his seat with a mild smirk on his face.

"Hm?" Heero asked curiously.

"Nothing…but why are you sitting forward like that? This is too nice a car for me to have. They'll pull us over if you don't sit back and buckle."

"Like you'd crash," Heero muttered with a mild attempt at flattery.

Duo flashed him a grin. "That's utterly beside the point."

Quatre started yammering again.

- -

"You look nice today," Wufei muttered to Relena, studying her semi-suit.

"Thank you, Wufei," she muttered almost too politely to him, allowing him to pull the door of the high school open. They were picking up the file-work for themselves and the other former pilots for senior year.

Wufei flashed a smile at her as she moved into the building and frowned, looking the grounds over.

"Toby!" Relena squeaked, spotting a tall and lean guy waiting in line. "Oh, hi!" she dashed across the intervening space to give him a hug.

The Chinese teen groaned to himself, rolling his eyes toward the ceiling before waving at the guy as well. Toby had been in their speech class the year before, and had always praised Relena excessively on her work.

"How are you two doing?" Toby asked curiously as they moved into line after him. "I followed your tours…very impressive work, Mr. Chang."

Wufei nodded cordially. "Thank you."

"You were splendid," he added to Relena, all charm and manners.

The ex-pilot realized he really didn't like the guy.

- -

"Kokyuu o kurikaesu," Heero sung happily, allowing the sound of the slightly darker music to wash over him, eyes closed as he lay on his bed. He'd never really let himself just _enjoy_ music, but he'd found something that the others in the house–namely Duo, wouldn't overplay if he found it. "Hitsuyou na mono wa mitsukarazu, subete no yasuragi o kowasu…." Duo didn't really like music he couldn't sing along to, and some of the words were easy to trip over. "Onaji ayamachi o kurikaesu…"

"You would not _believe_ that woman!" Wufei informed Heero, slamming into Heero's bedroom. Heero blinked at his friend in amazement, startled from his reverie as he realized that no one _ever_ knocked before entering his bedroom–he made a mental note to inform Trowa of that later.

"What woman?" he muttered, sitting up and stopping his music.

"Relena!" Wufei replied with a vengeance. "She was just _all_ over Toby Kraus…he was in our speech class last year…here."

Heero studied the pile of papers dropped onto the bed and sighed. "God I hate this…"

"I don't _mind_ school," Wufei replied, sitting on the bed himself. "It's better than having to work."

"True," Heero sighed, moving the papers to his nightstand and laying back.

"What are you doing in here, anyway?" Wufei added, studying his friend. "You're always in your room now."

"Jacking off," Heero replied dismissively.

Wufei laughed. "Don't we know it…but really…"

Heero tilted his head. "Where's Quatre?"

Wufei's face fell and he looked away.

"Oh…yeah," Heero rolled his head back to study his headboard and shrugged.

"Is there something wrong with me?" Wufei asked quietly, following Heero's lead and laying back across the bed. "I mean…I _let_ Duo seduce me…and then…"

"I think it's just been bad lately," Heero cut the other off. "We're all stressed lately and we're acting out. Don't get all worked up over it. Relena will figure things out before too much longer and it will be good again."

"I just wish…Quatre would talk to me," Wufei muttered quietly. "I know I fucked him over…"

"You may want to think more on phrasing there in the future," Heero suggested with a smirk.

Wufei gave him a very level look.

"I'm just saying…"

Wufei sighed, and started to rant about Relena.

- -

"Lucratzia?"

Lucratzia looked up at Zechs with a smile. "Hey."

"We need to talk."

The woman's smile fell.

Zechs moved forward and sat across from her at the kitchen table she was sitting at, studying her eyes.

She looked down, "Why?"

"I…found someone else."

Lucratzia closed her eyes as all sense of feeling vanished.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. We stopped having fun, though…"

"I thought you were happy."

"I was, at first."

Lucratzia bit her lip, setting her pen down and trying to ignore her shaking hand. "I hate you."

"I said I was sorry," he returned, reaching across the table and touching her hand. "It just…wasn't meant to be."

"Don't _touch_ me," she hissed, yanking her hand away from him and glaring at him. "Why are you even here? Leave! Get out of here!"

Zechs blinked at her, then narrowed his eyes as he stood.

"I don't want to see you again," Lucratzia snapped, biting back the pain welling up in her chest and pretending that tears weren't coming to her eyes as she also stood and shoved the table at him. The papers on it went flying and he danced away from the wood.

Zechs stared at her in amazement, stuttering over words as she moved around the mess at him. "Get out!"

"I'm leaving!" he shouted back, moving away from her and into her living room. "God, you're so annoying!"

Lucratzia's tears got the better of her at those words–and she ran to her bedroom.

Zechs stormed from the house.

- -

"Omae dake ni wa," Heero sung in full voice with his CD player, realizing suddenly what he was doing and stopping himself with a grin, pulling one ear-bud off his ear–to hear footsteps on the porch. He knew where everyone was, and he was expecting no one to show up for another hour. He rose to his feet when the doorbell buzzed several times, leaving the player on the couch and heading toward the door.

"Oh my god, Heero," Lucratzia burst into the house, throwing herself into Heero's arms as he froze in surprise.

"What's wrong?" He returned, noting her distressed state, instinctively wrapping his arms around her. "What's the matter?"

"He left me," she sobbed against his throat. "He came to my house earlier and said…he'd found someone else!"

"Zechs?" Heero asked quietly.

"Yes!" Lucratzia broke into a fresh wave of tears.

"Oh…" Heero hugged the woman tightly. "Um…who did you want to talk to? I can call…"

"You," she replied, curling more against his chest. "No one else would care…"

Heero blinked in amazement. "Me? Why me?"

"I couldn't believe it, he came in all normal, and…and…he told me we needed to _talk!_ How cliché is that? And he _found_ someone! I'm gonna kill the bitch, I swear! I don't want him anymore…but it's _her_ fault!"

Heero groaned, starting to massage her back to help her relax…and was very grateful when she just let herself cry.

- -

"I hope she's okay, though," Zechs muttered as he followed Hilde toward the front door of the house. "She was pretty upset when I left."

"You've been _with_ her for like…five years now, I'd imagine she was upset."

Zechs grumbled his agreement as Hilde threw the door open–and froze.

"Oh god," Heero muttered, dropping his head back as Lucratzia turned to the door with large eyes and stared at Hilde and Zechs.

"Why are _you_ here?" the woman demanded, pulling away from Heero to face the pair.

Hilde was staring at her.

Zechs mouthed at her, glancing to Hilde as he looked to Heero, then looked back to his ex, making an uncertain gesture.

It took Lucratzia a moment to connect the fact that Zechs was there _with_ Hilde.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Zechs demanded in return, raising his eyes to Heero as the vague thought of kicking his ass came to mind–granted, that was only if Heero had been…wait, that logic…

"I'm talking to someone who _cares_," Lucratzia replied, then narrowed her as she rested a hand on Heero's chest. "Her?" she demanded, focusing on Hilde. "You gave up what we had for that little piece of ass?"

Zechs sighed heavily.

"Fuck you!" Hilde shouted at her.

"Stop now," Heero snapped, shocked when his voice echoed through the house and brought an instant silence.

Lucratzia hiccupped a sob, turning back into Heero's arms.

"Let's go," Zechs muttered quietly to Hilde, shoving her at the back door as Quatre poked his head out of his and Duo's room, blinking.

Lucratzia started to cry again as the back door shut.

"What's going on?" Quatre asked quietly, moving into the living room proper and buttoning his jeans, frowning at Lucratzia. "Why is she crying?"

Heero studied the shirtless blond for a long moment with a raised eyebrow, then gestured toward the back door with his head. "Zechs."

"Oh," the blond understood in an instant, moving forward and resting a reassuring hand on the woman's shoulder. "You okay?"

"I'll be fine," Lucratzia muttered, pulling back to meet Heero's eyes. "Can we go?"

This got Heero a raised eyebrow look.

"I guess," Heero muttered. "You have your car?"

"No…it broke down."

"Oh," Heero sighed, moving around her and grabbing his keys from the coffee table, meeting Quatre's eyes. "Tell Trowa if he asks where I am," he instructed.

Quatre nodded, studying the woman curiously as she actually focused on him and blinked.

"I'll be back later," Heero added, grabbing Lucratzia's elbow and pulling at her.

She followed him wordlessly.

- -

"Where…is Heero?" Trowa asked Quatre, standing in Heero's bedroom door.

Quatre, who was getting something to drink, sighed as he looked back to Trowa. He didn't know why the idea of the two sneaking around together bothered him so much, but knowing that they were hiding it made him feel guilty, like he was part of some dirty secret. "He took Lucratzia home."

"Did he?" Trowa moved from the room, frowning at the blond. "What I meant to say is _why_ did he?"

"Zechs," Quatre muttered, steadily avoiding the other's eyes.

Trowa purposefully pinned Quatre to the counter, cupping his friend's chin to force him to meet eyes. "Why can't you look at me?"

Quatre looked away again quickly, attempting to extricate himself from the position he hadn't realized he'd been put in.

"You have no idea what you stepped into," Trowa noted, smirking slightly as he shifted back enough to allow an escape. "You have no clue whatsoever, what's going on around you. The fact that Heero and I are doing something slightly lesser than you and Duo should not embarrass you. In fact, you really shouldn't give a rat's ass."

"I just didn't expect it," Quatre muttered, moving around the kitchen table to the fridge, still not looking at the other. "I don't know what to think and I can tell you two are keeping it on the low."

"I keep all my relationships on the low," Trowa replied with another grin. "Makes breaking up less of an issue for all parties involved."

Quatre gasped slightly, meeting Tro's eyes. "That's horrible!"

Trowa grinned.

The blond looked away again, managing to pour juice all over the counter.

"You really are something else, do you know that, Winner?" Trowa leaned against the counter, crossing his arms and legs as he studied the other. "A real piece of work."

Quatre muttered something at him that he didn't even understand.

"You're gonna work with me, then?" Trowa asked. "Until Heero decides he really is my boyfriend, you'll keep your mouth shut?"

"I can't very well _tell_ anyone," Quatre snapped, giving up on cleaning his mess and nearly throwing the pitcher back into the fridge.

Trowa chuckled, thinking a moment. "This is good…"

"Yeah, fuck you."

"Hmm…such a mouth," Trowa muttered, cutting off Quatre's exit and actually running his thumb over Quatre's bottom lip.

"God _damn_ it, Trowa!" Quatre raised both arms carefully, attempting to force the other away.

Trowa laughed evilly.

"Just…just…don't _fuck_ with me," Quatre muttered, continuing to avoid the other's eyes.

"Fine. I appreciate your cooperation."

Quatre grumbled.

"Heero took Lucratzia home?" Trowa asked suddenly, thinking about it. "Why was she here?"

"I'm not sure," Quatre admitted, stopping his escape at a more comfortable topic. "I was…with Duo…and we heard Heero shout for someone to just stop. I came out to investigate and he told me Zechs had finally ditched the bitch. She was here for Heero's support."

"Huh…" Trowa blinked at that, then nodded. "Thanks for the savvy."

"You've been watching old movies again, haven't you?"

Trowa laughed. "Always, Quatre. Always."

- -

E/N: "Lust for Blood" by Gackt. I'm intending to finish this out short-like...I mean, I only started it in early 04, lmao. Granted, last time I posted was mid-ish 05...but yeah.


	16. The Lucky One

**The Lucky One**

It was getting cold again.

Duo sank down in the seat of the car, running his hands over his face. He wasn't sure what Quatre was doing half the time anymore. He'd started running around with Heero and Trowa, and while Duo had no real qualms with Heero, Trowa caused him problems. Trowa could get damn petty damn fast...and Duo knew he was owed one from the other teen...big time.

Aside from that, their relationship was fine...enough. They spent the evenings together, but Quatre was getting distant...and not the dreamy kind when you're thinking about forever.

There were several factors running through Duo's mind on the matter. One of which was that he might just be paranoid...or maybe it was his own emotions being put off on the other...which might work, except that he loved being with Quatre when the blond wasn't being distant.

What were they _doing?_

Duo glanced toward the mall and sighed again. He didn't want to go chase them down, he didn't want to give Trowa the chance of saying shit to him.

If he wasn't going in to find them, and they weren't coming out until they were done, that kinda gave Duo a while to sit back and stew. Seeing as he'd already gotten a fairly good start on that, Duo turned the ignition so the radio started up, flicking through the programmed stations until he found the oldies one he normally listened to. He folded his hand behind his head and stared out at the clouds coming in over the mountains.

He did it to himself...that's what everyone would tell him. All the shit was from holes he dug himself. His guilt now was because he'd slept with not one, but _two_ people after _deciding_ not to cheat on his guy anymore.

It was all a thing of the moment...it was all just crap.

Trowa'd been _so_ upset...

He loved how cheating on Quatre was making him feel guilty about Trowa.

That made sense in backwards land.

The song changed on the station, and Duo closed his eyes tightly together as his stomach knotted.

Fiend.

It was almost an uncontrollable impulse to turn the damned song up.

Trowa looked to the car as he followed Quatre along the parking lot with Heero behind them.

"He's so weird sometimes," Quatre noted happily...though Trowa and Heero both knew that Quatre loved Duo's eccentric music taste. They got to hear _all_ about it sometimes.

The bitterness bit Trowa deep, along with the feeling that he'd _wanted_ to break the pair up at one point, and now he didn't want to hurt Quatre.

But Duo was pulling the same shit.

..._this is you_...

Trowa tore the back door open with a lot more violence than could be accounted for as Duo jumped and turned to look at him. "Create a new fantasia, 'cause it beats _**hating**_ yourself, _hating_ yourself..." he sang the words through clenched teeth as Duo's expression registered anger sharp and clear.

"Hey...Duo," Quatre muttered at the same time, sitting in the passenger seat. The expression was gone just as fast, but Quatre _had_ seen it.

Why did Duo hate Trowa?

"Hey, Quatre," Duo returned in a voice full of chipper cheer.

...it was fake.

Quatre stared at Duo in disbelief.

Heero leaned forward between them to turn the music down. "Sorry," he apologized for all of them. "We meant to get out here on time but I saw another game I wanted."

Duo accepted the out, focusing on the Japanese teen as he sat back properly. "You haven't even finished the one I got you."

"You got him a game?" Trowa asked blankly.

"At the end of summer," Quatre agreed.

Trowa gave Heero an almost betrayed look, which made Duo frown at them in confusion.

"I got you something," Quatre noted before Duo could ask. "You want it now or later?"

"Now...and...later?" Duo asked sweetly.

Quatre sniggered and hit him in the leg. "You're so perverse...why can't you take anything seriously?"

"Who said I wasn't taking it seriously?" Duo protested innocently, smiling at his lover. "You usually get me more than one thing when you think about me."

"I think about you all the time," Quatre noted, leaning forward for a kiss.

"You're not alone in the car," Heero noted pointedly.

Duo laughed, kissing Quatre again and actually starting the engine.

"I'm choking on your sweetness..." Trowa sang with the song pointedly.

Heero rolled his eyes as the chorus repeated. Trowa listened to the song when he was feeling morose, and the Japanese teen wasn't so sure he was glad he _knew_ the words or understood their connotation in regards to the two males present...aside from the blond.

"I took fifteen from you," Duo picked up in a deep and wicked sounding voice as he put the car in gear. "...and you'll never get this back, truly disgraceful, don't you know?" He glanced briefly at Trowa as he started forward, "you're not the lucky one."

"Wow," Heero noted loudly and pointedly before anyone could react, "I really don't like this song."

Duo laughed an evilly wicked sound as he pulled from the parking lot. "You and me both."

Quatre's tone was forced laughter. "Then why do you _listen_ to it?" he hit the button to change the station, then looked out the window.

No one said a word.

- -

Wufei watched Quatre walk by wordlessly and met eyes with Duo. There was an expression of anger in the American's eyes, and Wufei wondered if Quatre might have told Duo. There was no mistaking that Duo would understand the pettiness of the act, and that at the time Wufei's entire point had been to hurt and piss Duo off–all in playing with his warning the guy to watch out about his boy...but that'd been a long time prior, and he was a lot more nervous now about the fall out than he had before.

The longer it lasted, the worse it would be.

"What are we doing for Halloween?" Hilde asked them all before Quatre could disappear into the bedroom.

"Halloween?" Heero echoed blankly.

"We've been invited to about twenty parties," Hilde noted, pulling out a handful of cards.

"Where did those come from?" Quatre asked her in confusion.

"The mail box...or the front porch...or between the door and the jamb."

"There's usually someone home," Heero suggested hesitantly.

"Yes, it's something like drop and run," Hilde returned. She grinned at the guy. "Come on, we're cool because we're young and kicked ass in wars...but we did kick ass in wars and we are cool. Normal high schoolers won't want to offend us on any level, but don't want to bother us while they're at it."

Relena giggled from where she was snuggled into Wufei's lap. They'd been sitting there watching TV while they waited for the others to come home and Zechs to show up.

"So those are fear invitations?" Trowa asked in a tone that seemed to hint at revulsion.

"No...they're 'you're-cool-but-I'm-angsty' invitations," Hilde replied.

Relena started laughing, sitting up to look at the group. "Come on, we have to pick which ones we're going to."

"You weren't invited," Wufei teased.

Relena clicked her teeth at him. "I have all the same invitations, plus a legal one or two."

"We got those," Hilde noted, indicating the more formal envelopes at the bottom of the stack. "They just came later."

"How about we don't do any of them?" Duo muttered, turning to start away.

"Haha, get over here," Hilde ordered without missing a beat.

Duo sighed and moved to sit on the couch next to Wufei, grabbing Relena's foot playfully so she squeaked and kicked at him. The game turned into Duo tickling her foot, which Wufei really didn't like, but didn't seem to bother Quatre. The blond moved to drop on Duo's lap...by which he was incorporated into the game because Duo hooked him closer on his lap so his left arm still reached the girl's foot.

"Damn it, Duo!" Wufei snapped, knocking his hands away.

Relena's giggling stopped as she blinked blankly at the Chinese male...but Duo just laughed his evil laugh and wrapped his arms around Quatre properly.

"Wow, tetchy," Trowa noted, sitting in the final open spot as Heero paused to look at them all in confusion...until Trowa pulled Heero onto his lap.

Quatre was laughing as he covered his face with his hand, and Heero looked briefly wild-eyed before meeting Trowa's eyes...and Trowa kissed him.

Duo was moving to stop the fight he could see happening in about three seconds, which upturned the coffee-table since Quatre'd hooked his feet under it to stop the rise...Hilde was moving her feet from that while trying to stare at Trowa and Heero in astonishment...as Heero started laughing.

"Oh...man," Quatre muttered, burying his face in his hands.

"What the hell?" Wufei demanded a moment later...because Heero and Trowa were still kissing. Aside from that moment of 'oh shit' that had registered on Heero's face, there had been no fight from him at all.

"Heero?" Relena asked in amusement.

Heero pulled away, still laughing as he licked at his lips. "Mm, you should do that more often."

"I thought you'd get upset with me," Trowa retorted.

"I thought you kept your relationships under wraps."

"I do when they don't matter," Trowa's tone was mildly flirtatious.

"Then maybe we should back off," Heero noted.

Trowa laughed happily, kissing him again.

"What the _hell?_" Relena persisted.

"So that explains that one," Hilde noted happily, then pointed at Quatre. "You join them often?"

Quatre guffawed at her, then reached backwards to fluff Duo's hair some. "I'm quite fine as I am, thank you."

"I believe that," Wufei noted sardonically.

"Good thing your believing doesn't matter," Quatre snapped waspishly.

"Quatre," Relena protested at him.

"You'll just let me make out with him without telling us to go to the room?" Trowa demanded over the noise. "If we really started making out would you keep bickering?"

"Probably," Quatre noted in amusement.

Duo was looking between Wufei and Quatre uncertainly, then focused back on Trowa.

Trowa smiled sweetly at him, shoving Heero off his lap. "Come fetch with me, come fetch with me..."

Duo's eyes narrowed sharply.

"Stop it," Heero snapped at Trowa, pulling him up.

"Wait, the invitations!" Hilde protested at them.

"What the hell is _with_ that song?" Quatre demanded of the two in an angry tone.

"It was our break-up song," Trowa noted, moving toward Heero's bedroom.

"Break-up?" Quatre and Wufei asked in unison.

"Yeah, Duo couldn't stay faithful if his life depended on it," Trowa agreed.

"I _know_ where you sleep," Duo threatened him in a dark voice.

"So do I," Trowa noted flippantly. "Think about that one, huh?"

Duo receded.

Quatre had stood, and he focused on Duo, his expression a demand.

"Fuck this," Duo snapped without meeting Quatre's eyes, vaulting the back of the couch.

"Why not? That usually works," Wufei noted pointedly.

"Wufei," Relena protested at him.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Quatre demanded of the Chinese man.

Wufei laughed wickedly, though there was no mirth in it. "You know _exactly_ what I mean."

Quatre glared him, then stormed toward the bedroom himself.

"...invi...tations," Hilde noted hesitantly. She looked to Relena.

"I'm making supper," Wufei muttered, shoving Relena from his lap. "You should probably call Zechs or Hilde's going to keep trying to cram those invitations down our throats."

That stung. Hilde stared at him with wounded eyes as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"What...just happened?" Relena asked blankly.

Hilde rubbed at her eyes. "I don't think I want to know."

- -

"So were you ever going to tell me?" Quatre snapped at Duo.

"About what?" Duo retorted from where he was laying on his bed.

"About Trowa," Quatre retorted.

Duo's stomach fell about thirty stories as he mouthed at the blond.

"I mean...he's your ex," Quatre added.

"Quatre..." Duo couldn't think of anything to say, wondering when he'd found out about it...

Quatre stared at him a long moment as he continued to mouth...and while he'd only been asking about them having been together at all...

"What did you do?" Quatre hissed, feeling betrayal along every line of his body.

"What?" Duo asked, almost breathless.

"I...I just...you _did_ something with him!" Quatre snapped, feeling everything he cared about starting to crumble around him. "You...what did you do?"

"Don't yell," Duo breathed quickly, jumping up and moving to him. He wanted to get in close and cut the explosion off...but found himself hitting the wall instead as the now _pissed_ blond glared at him.

"Quatre?" Heero asked from the hallway.

"Tell me," Quatre ordered Duo, ignoring the other male.

"I..."

"Tell me now," Quatre snapped.

"It's just..."

Quatre moved across the room and wrapped his hand around Duo's throat as he slammed his boyfriend against the door.

"I don't want to," Duo breathed back, anxious. He didn't know what Quatre was truly capable of doing...because he was pinned to that door.

"I didn't ask if you _wanted_ to," Quatre hissed in his face, glaring directly into his eyes. "I fucked Wufei, what did you do?"

"_What?_" Duo shouted back, trying to shove away from the door.

The door was shoved from the other side, but didn't give.

"Hey..." Heero started. "You two..."

"In the Caribbean," Quatre explained, still not moving back. "That night I didn't come to bed. That's all I've done. What did you do?"

"It was...I didn't mean..." Duo looked away, feeling his stomach churning even more.

Quatre's hand tightened, putting pressure on his wind-pipe.

"I fucked him," Duo spat, looking back to Quatre in anger. "I fucked Trowa...at the circus."

That made the blond settle back.

"Wufei figured it out and chased me down," Duo added almost viciously. "So I fucked Wufei, too."

Quatre dropped his hand, stepping back as pain tore through him.

"So did you fuck Wufei, or did Wufei fuck you?" Duo whispered at him. "Because if it was the latter I wouldn't get too emotional about it. How about you? You do anything with Tro? He's petty enough."

"You promised me," Quatre noted, his eyes filling with tears.

"Trowa said it himself, I can't stay faithful if my life depended on it...and he would know. We were together one summer and I was with both guys and girls...aside from him."

Quatre took a few more steps backwards.

"Feel better now?" Duo demanded almost coldly. "Intimidation does wonders, huh?"

"What?" Quatre focused on that, since his mind wasn't forming around the conversation right.

Duo almost sneered at him...and kissed him deeply. "I love you," he noted in a tone that was near to disgust...then shoved by the blond and grabbed the duffel bag he'd packed over the summer. It was down to the last few items...which he spilled on his bed and started to fill with clothing.

"What are you doing?" Quatre demanded somewhat shrilly as the door opened. "Where are you going?"

"Duo?" Heero asked, stepping properly into the room.

Duo turned to glare at Heero...he had tears on his cheeks.

"What's going on?" Heero persisted.

"He slept with Trowa _and_ Wufei," Quatre informed Heero almost accusingly, gesturing at the guy.

Heero blinked at him.

"What's going on?" Trowa asked blankly, moving into the room.

"Fuck _you!_" Quatre snapped in that same shrill voice.

"Oh," Trowa settled back some, looking to Heero uncertainly.

"What?" Relena asked blankly as Wufei followed her to the room. "Duo, what are you doing?"

"I'm leaving," Duo retorted bitterly. "I can't stay here."

"What are you talking about?" she asked in a slightly teasing fashion. "Don't be ridiculous."

He finished zipping the bag and crossed the room to shove her against the wall and kiss her just as deeply as he'd kissed Quatre.

"Hey!" Wufei protested as Heero moved between them. Relena was staring at Duo in dismay.

"Watch your boy," Duo growled at her. "I done fucked him already, and he fucked Quatre for a laugh."

Her jaw dropped as they turned to see Wufei's reaction.

He was staring at Duo in horror.

Duo shoved through the mess of them, starting for the front door.

Hilde was standing in front of it with her arms crossed, her eyes hurt as she studied him.

"I'll write," he informed her pointedly, stopping directly in front of her.

"You can't just leave like this," she protested at him.

"I can, I am, and I'm not coming back any time soon."

"What about graduation?"

"I can still go to school," he noted pointedly.

"Duo," she started, reaching for him.

Heero moved up and grabbed his arm, frowning at his face. "How can you just...leave like this?"

"Because I can't control myself," he spat back. "I can't stop myself. I can't get beyond an opportunity, no matter how much I love someone."

"Maybe try counseling," Heero suggested. "That would help more than running."

"I run good, though," Duo noted pointedly.

"It's not this simple," Heero protested.

Duo leaned down and kissed him...which got Trowa to start a protest. "You'll appreciate this one," he noted briefly to Tro before pressing his forehead to Heero's. "It'd have never worked between us."

Trowa tsked.

"Duo," Heero protested.

Duo pulled away, touching Quatre's cheek briefly...then turned and moved out the door.

"Hey!" Hilde protested, chasing after him. "Get back here! It's not that easy!"

Duo raised a hand to wave at her without stopping, looking back, or turning around.

"Take the fucking car, at least," Quatre snapped.

"I'm done taking what's yours," Duo noted, looking at him. "I've taken too much from you already."

"Now you're just being cheesy," Trowa noted sardonically. "Enough with the drama. Get back in here and argue like a normal person."

Duo flashed him a very brief grin...and walked away.

Quatre leaned against the wall, his arms crossed as Hilde gave chase to the end of the walkway, shouting down the sidewalk to the guy. Heero was obviously torn, pacing along the porch as Trowa stood on one of the steps and waited. Relena was somewhere in the house, and Wufei was studying Quatre's face.

Hilde's voice hit a shrill note, and her words were carrying clearly through the cold night air...

"You gonna be okay?" Wufei asked Quatre somewhat hesitantly.

The words caught all of their attention...well, not Hilde. Quatre spun on his foot to meet eyes with the Chinese man.

"I know you don't feel it now, but that's gonna hurt when the shock wears off."

"Quatre..." Heero started.

Quatre punched Wufei in the stomach, shoving him toward Heero. "Leave me the fuck alone," he spat at the Chinese man...then turned and disappeared into the house.

"Come back!" Hilde was screaming through tears. "Duo!"

Wufei grunted a few times, trying to catch his breath.

"He'll be back," Trowa said quietly, looking around. "Won't he?"

"I don't know," Heero muttered, shoving Wufei off.

"What did I do?" Wufei protested. "Shit, I was just trying to talk to him and he _seduced_ me."

"Which isn't rape, which means you didn't say no," Heero noted pointedly. "That also means that you cooperated with him, and boils down to you having a girlfriend and no excuse."

Wufei stared at him.

"We've been trying since you fucked Quatre to work the shit out between them," Heero added irritably to the Chinese man. "We've been trying to settle them both down so this shit could just slide by and we could have a happily ever after." He gestured down the walk at Hilde, who was standing with one hand at her mouth and the other crossed over her chest. "This is _not_ a happily ever after."

"_I_ didn't start this!" Wufei protested at them both in dismay. "You were all pissy when you got home today!"

"That's right," Heero turned to focus narrowed eyes on Trowa. "Why the hell did you have to quote that damn song at him again?"

"Sorry if I'm bitter," Trowa noted bitterly. "My own happily ever after should have started as soon as we won that second war. I shouldn't have had to deal with a promiscuous asshole."

"So you're attacking me when it's _his_ fault?" Wufei demanded.

"Oh, just you go look and see what Relena says to you now," Heero retorted. "You coulda been cleared of the Duo shit because we all know how he is. _You_ chased down Quatre and talked awfully fast."

"How do you _even_ know?" Wufei snapped.

"Because Quatre _told_ me!" Heero half-shouted back.

Wufei stared at him in disbelief.

"What's going on?" Zechs demanded, jumping out of his car almost before it stopped to stare around at them all. "What's happening?"

"Zechs!" Relena cried, breaking through the group on the stairs and running to jump into her brother's arms at the same time as Hilde. Both females started crying.

Zechs looked between the two girls, then looked up at the three on the porch, uncertain.

"Yeah," Heero agreed somewhat loudly, his tone picking up a hint of amusement. "Things went screwy."

**_End_**

- -

E/N: Sorry this took me _**so**_ long to get up. I've actually got a sequel in the works thanks to a somewhat ingenious idea from Nikonightwind. I'll hopefully get that churned out (and over my writer's block so I can work on the sequel to In the City at Night soon). So yeah...sorry again. The song is "Fiend" by Orgy.


End file.
